CHENNAI: Even as the Congress leadership in Tamil Nadu is talking tough against its party MLA S Vijayadharani’s defiance over the issue of unveiling the portrait of the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly hall, the legislator hopes to convince the high command if she is asked to give an explanation.
A section in the party is pitching for stringent action against the MLA, who was re-elected to the Assembly from Vilavancode constituency in 2016, because she had dragged in party president Rahul Gandhi’s name by citing his visit to Apollo Hospitals when Jayalalithaa was admitted there and later for attending Jayalalithaa’s funeral, in a bid to justify her stand for praising the late AIADMK leader.
“We cannot take it easy the questioning of the party president’s visit to the hospital and his attendance at the funeral. Vijayadharani cannot claim what she had done is right because it is totally against the party’s official stand. So, the high command must teach her a lesson,” said a senior Congress leader.
As Vijayadharani’s defiance has stirred a hornet’s nest in the party State unit, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president S Thirunavukkarasar sent a report on the issue to Rahul and AICC incharge for Tamil Nadu affairs Mukul Vasnik.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, he lashed out at the legislator for questioning Rahul’s visit to the Apollo Hospitals. “When our party president visited the hospital, her conviction was not confirmed. So was when attending the funeral as well,” Thirunavukkarasar said. However, he added the MLA could not question the party president’s actions. “It is nothing but crossing the limits grossly,” he said.
Caught in the storm, Vijayadharani continued to be defiant by justifying her action, but explained she had referred to Rahul’s visit to the hospital only to point out his goodwill gestures. “I referred to our party president’s visit to the hospital when Jayalalithaa was admitted, only to point out his goodwill gestures,” she said on Wednesday. She said the party high command had not sought any explanation from her so far. She said that she would respond in a proper way if asked to do so.
“I will give my explanation if asked for. I hope our president will understand what I have said in its true meaning,” she said.
When asked whether she wanted the party to come closer to the ruling AIADMK, she replied that it was to be decided by the high command.
Party insiders said the MLA would not face the ire of the high command now because the leaders were busy in the run-up to the Karnataka Assembly elections.