Cracks seem to have appeared in the Puducherry Congress once again with the supporters of Rajya Sabha member P Kannan having abstained from greeting Prime minister Manmohan Singh after feeling sidelined and insulted by the Pradesh Congress here on Friday.
While Kannan participated in the function at Pondicherry University, his supporters, including MLA K Lakshminarayanan, expressing solidarity with partymen, did not go to the helipad, where Singh was given a warm welcome, or Rajnivas where the PM was halting for the night.
Though 37 Congressmen were allowed at the make-shift helipad on university campus and 95 Congressmen at Rajnivas, the Puducherry Pradesh Congress C ommitte had not give passes to any of the prominent leaders who were close to Kannan, they alleged. Except Lakshminarayanan no one was given pass.
While the block Congress presidents were denied permission, people like A Elumalai, a former minister who left the party and contested the Assembly elections on a DMK ticket, and Sivakozhundu, who joined the party just ahead of the Assembly election and unsuccessfully contested, were provided passes, they alleged.
No criteria were followed in the selection of Congressmen to meet and greet the Prime Minister, they charged. “This is not the first time. Similar things have happened during the visit of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” the party cadre alleged.