War within Congress: Why EVKS can say all he wants and get away with it?

Sameera Ahmed | The News Minute | February 2, 2015 | 01.20 pm ISTThe war of words between Tamil Nadu Congress Committee(TNCC) president EVKS Elangovan and former Union Minster P Chidambaram reached an all time high last week with a complaint made by the latter to the party high command - Rahul Gandhi against the former’s recent outburst.Elangovan was summoned to Delhi and reports indicate that he may have been reprimanded for his outburst against the Chidambarams.The leader, known for his uncontrollable frank outbursts, made a snide remark at the Chidambarams, saying “"Tamil Nadu Congress would certainly attain salvation if one more person quits along with his heir”. He also directed a scathing attack at former Environment Minister, Jayanthi Natarajan thanking her for quitting the party saying that it would “purify” the party as did not serve it. "Since you have resigned now, hope has emerged that Congress will have a bright future and I convey crores of thanks on behalf party workers for your decision,” he had said quoted PTI reacting to her resignation. Elangovan can wish all he wants, but neither Chidambaram nor his son Karti Chidambaram seem to be in any mood to leave the party immediately. However, both party workers and the media in fact are seeing this current tussle within the party in Tamil Nadu from two different angles.Some believe that instead of being an embarrassment, Elangovan's outbursts and Karti Chidambaram's rebellious ways could be good news for the Congress in the state, for a party that has been out of news for a long time.With the Dravidian parties maintaining their stronghold and the BJP making a slow and steady effect on Tamils in the last one year, the Congress in Tamil Nadu have remained consistently off the grid, politically speaking.With Jayanthi Natarajan’s much publicised exit from the party, this war of words between the two biggies in the Congress within Tamil Nadu may not have been completely solved. However, for the high command in Delhi, Elangovan is the last hope they have in a state they are comparatively weak at without an alternative mass leader. “Elangovan wants to give the Congress a separate identity in Tamil Nadu,” said political analyst, Gnani. The only other Congress leader who worked on similar lines was Vazhappady K. Ramamurthy, he said , a leader who worked as president of the TNCC for six years earlier. Thankgabalu and Gnanadesikan were both Congress leaders who were not elite leaders like Jayanthi Natarajan and Chidambaram, but they worked with party cadres. Elangovan has that same advantage, he said. It was the senior leadership in Delhi represented by Sonia Gandhi that had handed over the TNCC reigns to Elangovan despite GK Vasan looking for a position .It was then that Vasan quit the party and formed his own party, the Tamil Manila Congress, a party his late father GK Moopanar had first founded in 1996. The feud within the party in Tamil Nadu was revealed as soon as Elangovan’s appointment was made. However, for Elangovan who was appointed the TNCC President for the second time, his return as president was seen as the Congress’ best move, considering his capacity as a strong and influential speaker. Previous heads of the Tamil Nadu wing of the Congress have not been able to make a similar foray in the state. BS Gnanadeskian, the outgoing president when Elangovan took over, himself had left his post allegedly upset over being neglected by the AICC."The State president does not have respect and powers," he had then said. A senior political journalist in the state says,"Thankabalu and Gnanadesikan were non-news makers. They could not churn good or bad news. That way Elangovan is a god send for the party. His outbursts are actually making the playing field interesting. Amongst party workers, there is a grudging admiration for him, as he takes on the biggies."Grandson of Periyar,the founder of the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu, Elangovan’s mother herself, Mrs. Sulochana Sampath, is a member of the AIADMK. "The war of words is happening, but I don't think it will do good to the party that has already been decimated after Vasan's exit. This will only make them look foolish to the electorate," another journalist said. Poster warThe poster medium, made popular in the state after a number of creative varieties sprung up in the aftermath of the Jayalalithaa conviction in September 2014 has now slowly crept into the Congress between the Elangovan-Chidambaram camps.The posters which have made an appearance in Chennai, Erode, Tiruchy and Karaikudi apart from other places, have been aimed by supporters of both camps at each other, reported TOI .In Erode, Elangovan’s home town, posters accused Elangovan of speaking against the Chidambarams. While those against Elangovan bore the name of former MLA RM Panaismay, a close supporter of the Chidmanbarams, in Tiruchy, some posters asked Elangovan to quit the party, something that did not go down well amongst his party cadre, reported The New Indian Express. For now, there has been no major action taken against Elangovan after his statements against the two leaders. However, the Congress characteristic in Tamil Nadu for factional feud continues on.