TMC to merge with Congress on Aug 1

Though the dates of the merger have been finalised, the modalities — as to who gets what — are yet to be worked out. Sonia is yet to respond to the TMC’s demands.

Though the TMC has been demanding the TNCC presidentship, Sonia is likely to retain that post with the Congress. She has agreed to give CLP leadership to the TMC and is also likely to accommodate Vasan in the AICC as general secretary.

In the meeting, Vasan apprised Sonia with the political situation in Tamil Nadu. He was of the view that factionalism in the Congress can only end if the TMC is given the post of TNCC presidentship.

The TMC leaders are now optimistic that they will be given their due share. The TMC delegation’s argument was that since they are the third-largest party in Tamil Nadu they should be given due importance after the merger. The total members of the TMC in the panchayats was 1,450 as against 450 of the Congress.

It was in 1996 that the Congress was divided when senior leaders of Tamil Nadu, including G.K. Moopanar, P. Chidambaram and Jayanti Natarajan quit the party to form the TMC. They were then protesting against the alliance forged by the AICC headed by then Congress president and Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao with the AIADMK.

The reunification now is aimed at creating a third force in Tamil Nadu which can play a dominant role in the future politics of the state. The Congress is of the opinion that since the people are fed up of Dravidian parties, secular parties like the Congress have a bright future there.