Panaji : In a new turf war in the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s politically ambitious son Karti Chidambaram has crossed swords with the Congress state president EVKS Elangovan by refusing to respond to the latter’s show cause notice for organising a meeting of his supporters. Instead, he has contended that only the All India Congress Committee (AICC) can seek an explanation from him since he is a member of the AICC.
Last week Karti, who was a contender for the TNCC president’s post before the Vasan camp split to form the Tamil Maanila Congress, organised a closed door meeting of what he called as members of the ‘G-67’. The new group essentially comprised of those born after1967, the year when the Congress lost power to the DMK in Tamil Nadu.
It is learnt that at the meeting, Karti had said that though he disliked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he admired the BJP for the meticulous manner in which it trounced the Congress reducing its presence in the Lok Sabha to double digits. He also reportedly mocked at the Congress’ claim of returning to power in Tamil Nadu in 2016 and urged his supporters to forget this dream. He wanted the party to project a Chief Ministerial candidate.
TNCC president Elangovan had issued a notice to Karti asking him to explain by January 30 why action should not be taken against him for conducting an unauthorised meeting in which over 200 persons participated. He accused Karti of belittling the party high command and putting spokes in the plans of the Congress to make political headway. The notice warned Karti of expulsion from the party if he did not respond.
On Tuesday, Karti released to the media a letter addressed to Elangovan in which he has questioned the latter”s competence in issuing a show cause notice. While telling Elangovan that he had not heard his speech in full, Karti said “since I am a member of the AICC, only the Congress Disciplinary Committee has the powers to issue a notice to me. You may report about me to the committee and it is seeks an explanation I shall respond.”
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