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Balakrishnan, Elangovan vow to continue anti-Govt. offensive

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai Sept. 27. The new State Congress president, S.Balakrishnan, and the working president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, today jointly vowed to continue the offensive on the AIADMK and warned that they would launch a movement, if necessary, against the "anti-people" Jayalalithaa Government.

In a conscious attempt at presenting a picture of unity, Mr. Elangovan and Mr. Balakrishnan, who arrived together from Delhi, jointly paid floral tributes to the statues of Congress leaders in the city and addressed a joint media conference.

While Mr. Balakrishnan claimed his main task was to make "all Congressmen feel that they are part of one family", Mr. Elangovan, downplaying his demotion from TNCC chief post, said he was fortunate to work under the guidance of a senior man.

Admitting that there could be a chasm between volunteers of the erstwhile Tamil Maanila Congress and the Congress, as the two had remained separated for six years, the TNCC chief said his effort would be directed at "bringing all partymen together."

And, Mr. Balakrishnan, till now considered soft on the ruling party, firmly declared that it was the duty of every Tamil to oppose the anti-people measures of the AIADMK Government.

"After Ms. Jayalalithaa's outburst against our leader, Sonia Gandhi, how can any Congressman even consider an alliance with the AIADMK?" he asked. Not to be left behind, Mr. Elangovan said, "for the past two years, mine had been the lone voice in the Congress against Ms. Jayalalithaa. And, now the voice has become stronger and more strident, with the appointment of Mr. Balakrishnan."

The new TNCC chief unveiled a three-point agenda — ending groupism, keeping the party strong and in a state of preparedness to go it alone in elections and exposing the "wrong policies and acts" of the AIADMK Government.

`Differential pricing an eyewash'

Criticising the recent increase in PDS rice price and the change in paddy procurement policy, he said the differential pricing system was an "eyewash".

While the Government claimed that the first 10 kg would be sold at the existing Rs. 3.50 a kg and the remaining 10 kg at Rs. 6, the ration shop staff would eventually force cardholders to buy the "Rs. 6 variety" on the ground that the Rs. 3.50 variety was not available.

Earlier, at a reception accorded to the two leaders at the airport, most party seniors kept away.

However, at the Sathyamurthy Bhavan, where the media conference was held, former TMC leaders greeted them with shawls.

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