CHENNAI: Close on the heels of protests by Congress youth and women wings, pressure has begun to mount on KV Thangkabalu, TNCC president, to quit as party office-bearers belonging to rival factions resorted to a hunger strike, here on Thursday.
Led by AICC member SM Idayatullah, many party functionaries, including Mayilai C Periasami, Americai Narayanan and CK Vishnu Priya participated in the hunger stir. The protest assumed significance as most of them belonged to the Vasan faction, the most influential segment within the TNCC.
Speaking to Express, Idayatullah, Periasami and others said several goof-ups had occurred in the candidate selection process and in the management of elections in the State.
“The management of party affairs is in a very bad shape. He has not even released the election manifesto so far. There is utter confusion in Krishnagiri as the candidate is yet to be announced,” they said adding that the exit of Thangkabalu from the office of the TNCC president was the only solution. “Our fast is to attract the attention of the AICC president Sonia Gandhi.”
Referring to the hunger strike, Thangkabalu said there were better ways to express grievances. “There may be difference of opinion. We can solve these issues through talks,” he said, adding that all decisions on the candidates for all the 63 seats were taken by the top leaders of the AICC including Gulam Nabi Azad.
Stressing that it was not fair to resort to a stir or a hunger strike, especially during elections, he said it might confuse the cadre. “These are not protests, but only anti-party activity,” he said and appealed to party workers to work unitedly and shun protests in the interests of the party.
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