Vasan

Chennai, Nov. 2: The Congress appeared headed for a split in Tamil Nadu today with former Union minister G.K. Vasan asking journalists to “wait for 24 hours” amid a buzz he would revive his father’s Tamil Maanila Congress.

Vasan is slated to meet supporters tomorrow morning, followed by a possible announcement. Asked today about his plans, Vasan said “wait for another 24 hours”. His associates were more forthcoming, suggesting the Tamil Maanila Congress was a “necessity”.

“The Tamil Maanila Congress has become a political necessity as Congress workers are totally disillusioned with an ineffective state leadership dancing to the tunes of a clueless central leadership,” said Vasan confidant and former MLA C. Gnanasekaran, referring to the Tamil Maanila Congress that was set up by G.K. Moopanar in 1996 and was merged by son Vasan with the Congress in 2002.

The churn came on a day E.V.K.S. Elangovan took charge as the new state Congress chief. Elangovan, also a former central minister, was greeted by top leaders, including P. Chidambaram, in an apparent signal that the party would meet Vasan’s dare. Vasan was upset after B.S. Gnanadesikan, his nominee, was allegedly pressured into quitting to make way for Elangovan.

Ever since the DMK walked out of the Congress-led UPA over support for Sri Lankan Tamils, no other entity was willing to have a truck with the national party, including in this year’s Lok Sabha polls — a far cry from the past when the Congress was wooed by prospective allies ahead of elections.

One factor in the steady decline has been the party’s falling vote share. The other is the failure of the central leadership to gauge popular mood in Tamil Nadu on sensitive issues, such as those related to Sri Lankan Tamils and the attacks on the state’s fishermen by the island-nation’s security forces.

“If we have to find allies for the 2016 (Assembly) elections, it can be done only by seceding from the Congress. Only a Tamil Maanila Congress, which can take an independent stand on issues, can connect with voters and get allies,” former Congress MP J.M. Haroon said.

But Vasan faces tests. Although he leads the largest group within the state Congress, he will have to parade senior leaders tomorrow if he breaks away. “Not all leaders who stood behind his father may support Vasan but if he can split the five-member legislative party and present most district secretaries, it would get him a good start,” said a former MP.

Once he has revived his father’s party, Vasan will need to keep the Tamil Maanila Congress relevant till 2016 so the ruling AIADMK or the DMK view it as a credible ally.

A BJP leader, however, made light of Vasan’s plans. “What new issues can he (Vasan) take up which have already not been raised by Vaiko, Vijayakanth or Ramadoss? In fact, he may indirectly help the BJP grow in Tamil Nadu if the Congress gets further devalued.”