Congress MLAs bound for Delhi to meet Sonia

PUDUCHERRY: At a time when matters have not been hunky dory for the Congress, what with its members boycotting the speaker election proceedings, a few of the party’s MLAs and PPCC president A V Subramanian have left for New Delhi to meet party president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary in charge of Puducherry, Ghulam Nabi Azad. “We had not met the party high command after elections and now we would be meeting her during the two-day stay in New Delhi,” MLA and former CM V Vaithilingam told Express. The party is likely to take a decision on the election of the leader of the opposition. The visit is significant coming at a time after Chief Minister N Rangasamy had called on Sonia Gandhi a few days ago. With a slender majority and dependent on the goodwill of the Central government in matters relating to administration (being a UT), NR’s courtesy call might have a hidden meaning. The meeting could pave the way for the unification of the two parties at some stage later, political observers feel. However, the Puducherry Congress is a divided house as regards ties with AINRC. PPCC president Subramanian, MLA and former Chief Minister Vaithilingam and MLA A Namassivayam have maintained that it would not be advisable to tie up with AINRC at this stage. As the people had given mandate to AINRC, they should be allowed to govern. The  Congress, which has assured that it would not topple the government, might sing a different tune if there was a change in political ties between the Congress and Dravidian parties. However, this line of approach is not toed by the entire party. There are a few MLAs who would like to join hands with the AINRC, as they feel that the latter is but another Congress as most of AINRC’s members were former Congressmen. However, the million dollar question is whether NR had given any indication of seeking Congress support during his meeting with Sonia.

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