Puducherry Congress In Crisis Amid Infighting

The clash was between the supporters of former Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and former Minister Kandasamy.

Narayanasamy (File Photo)

Puducherry: The Congress party in Puducherry is going through a crisis amid differences between the groups owing allegiance to former Chief Minister, V Narayanasamy, and former Minister and senior leader, Kandasamy.

On Sunday, the issues between the two leaders came out in the open with several functionaries and party cadres demanding the removal of the current Pradesh Congress Committee president, A.V. Subramanian, who is close to former Chief Minister, Narayanasamy.

The AICC observer in charge of Puducherry, Dinesh Gundu Rao was present at the party state headquarters when the cadres "shouted on each other".

It may be noted that the Congress party in Puducherry was weakened after several leaders crossed over to the BJP, including A. Namassivayam, the current Puducherry Home Minister.

Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, also an old Congress leader, had broken away from the party and formed his own regional outfit, All India NR Congress (AINRC), and is sharing power with the BJP.

The present issue cropped up after several cadres and lower rung leaders leveled allegations against A.V. Subramanian, and sought his removal from the post.

This led to arguments and counter-arguments in the party state executive meeting on Sunday that was presided by Dinesh Gundu Rao in his capacity of AICC in charge and observer .

A senior leader of the Congress told IANS: "The party is already decimated and there are no senior leaders who command respect other than Narayanasamy... there is a tendency in the party to try and marginalise him. The Congress of Puducherry is a minor force now with a majority of leaders having crossed over to the BJP before the last assembly polls leading to the saffron party gaining power in association with a former Congress leader, N. Rangasamy."

He said that unless the AICC leaders give an ear to the issues of the party cadres and lower-level leaders, it will not be able to make a comeback in the state.

Sources in the Puducherry Congress also said that there could be another major exodus of some senior leaders into both the AINRC as well as to the BJP in the days to come if the issues are not handled properly.