CHENNAI: In an interesting development, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri invited the TMC (Moopanar) to join the Congress, on Friday.
Followed by speculations that TMC (Moopanar) president G K Vasan was planning to merge the party with BJP, Alagiri said in a statement, “For those who started their political journey in Congress – joining the BJP would amount to committing suicide.”
Claiming that majority of the TMC party cadre was unhappy with the AIADMK - BJP alliance in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, he said those who worked under the leadership of late Kamarajar and Moopanar will not accept the BJP.
“The TMC was launched by late Moopanar in 1996 against the decision taken by then Congress high command to tie up with AIADMK. Congress doors will always remain open for those who want to return to the party,” said Alagiri, adding that he recalled after winning 20 seats in the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, Moopanar had lined up MPs behind the then Congress president.
Turning down Congress’s invitation, G K Vasan said his party would not be joining the BJP.
“TMC functions independently, maintaining its individuality. Those who are jealous about the party’s growth, are spreading lies about the party that it is planning to merge with BJP,” said Vasan referring to the TNCC president’s statement.