TIRUNELVELI: Even as the Congress is yet to announce its candidate for Tirunelveli, nearly 50 party cadre staged a protest outside the party office urging the top brass not to give a ticket to Congress’ Tirunelveli East district treasurer Paulraj, one of the contenders for the seat.
Followers of Nanguneri Congress MLA Ruby Manoharan, also an aspirant from Tirunelveli, protested saying Paulraj had torn up a banner of party leader Rahul Gandhi during the latter’s visit to Tamil Nadu.
The protesters also threatened to boycott the election if Paulraj was fielded. “If our top brass fields a leader who truly worked for the Congress, we will ensure that the party wins at any cost. At the same time, we have received information that high-command is considering fielding Paulraj, who disrespected Rahul Gandhi by tearing his banner in Nanguneri,” said Azhakiya Nambi, a protester.
Another cadre said, “We will not vote for Paulraj if he is fielded from Tirunelveli.”
Tamil Nadu Minority Commission’s Chairman Peter Alphonse, former Tirunelveli MP SS Ramasubbu and Ruby Manoharan are vying for the Tirunelveli seat.
However, it is said that the party’s high command is also considering Paulraj and All Indian Congress Committee Member Robert Bruce.
Shimla out, Janshi in
After AIADMK functionaries expressed discontent with the party’s decision to field Shimla Muthochozhan from Tirunelveli, she was replaced with M Janshi Rani.
Rani, the Thisayanvilai town panchayat chairperson, is also the AIADMK’s district joint secretary and hails from the Hindu Nadar community.
A party functionary said that Shimla had criticised former chief minister J Jayalalithaa when she contested against the latter in 2016. “The party gave a ticket to Shimla just two weeks after she joined the party. This did not go down well with the party functionaries,” a party functionary said.