Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K.S. Alagiri has said he will be present when veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is widely regarded as the “pick of the Gandhi family”, albeit unofficially, arrives in Chennai on October 14 to campaign for the Congress presidential poll.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Alagiri said the criticism that Shashi Tharoor, the other contender for the party president post, had not been received warmly by Congress big-wigs, could not be justified since “those who supported him were present”.
“It is an internal election of the party. The high-command has not given any direction on whom to support. The PCC (State unit) chiefs and working presidents have been told not to campaign for any candidate. It is not mandatory to be present when the candidates are in the city to campaign,” he said.
Mr. Alagiri said the fear that delegates who are seen with Mr. Tharoor would face reprisals for going against the party establishment was unfounded. “The Congress is a democratic party. When Mr. Tharoor was in Chennai, I was away. The whole campaign happened in such short notice,” he said.
Party sources said all necessary arrangements were made and facilities provided to Mr. Tharoor to support his campaign. “When Mr. Kharge comes to Chennai, you will see the support he has from TNCC delegates,” said a source, suggesting that the veteran would get a rousing reception from TNCC office-bearers.
Mr. Alagiri condemned the 112 recommendations of the Official Languages Parliamentary Panel that were presented to the President, saying it looked like an attempt to impose Hindi across the country.
