Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Hectic bid by TMC for RS berth
By Radha Venkatesan

CHENNAI, MARCH 3. The TMC has begun hectic efforts to get the support of the Congress and the Left parties for a Rajya Sabha berth to its president, G.K.Vasan, in the coming biennial elections.

Mr.Vasan left for New Delhi today to meet the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, and solicit her blessings to retain one of his party's seats which falls vacant next month.

For the TMC with 23 MLAs, it is but crucial to get the support of the seven-member Congress Legislature group and that of the CPI and the CPI(M), which together hold 11 MLAs in the State Assembly.

Having missed a chance to occupy the Rajya Sabha vacancy caused by Moopanar's death due to the AIADMK's decision to field its own candidate, Mr.Vasan appears keen on gaining an entry this time.

The TMC has already sent a formal letter to the State units of the CPI and the CPI(M) seeking their support and they have given an informal nod. However, getting Ms. Sonia Gandhi's approval may be linked to an unequivocal assurance on merging the TMC with the Congress.

Possibly in a bid to appease the Congress leadership, Mr. Vasan today shot off congratulatory messages to the new Congress Chief Ministers in Punjab and Uttaranchal.``The resounding victory of the Congress has served as a morale-booster to the partymen of all hues in the country, says the message.

But, the Congress is unlikely to take Mr.Vasan's oft- repeated promise of ``coordination'' any further, and will demand categorical commitment on a merger soon after the Rajya Sabha polls, say Congress seniors.

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