The Hindu : AICC brokers peace, cancels TN appointments

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Tuesday, Mar 25, 2003

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AICC brokers peace, cancels TN appointments

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MARCH 24. The Congress central leadership today brokered a peace between the two TNCC factions, cancelling all appointments made by the State chief, S. Balakrishnan, and the working president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, in the past few days.

New appointments for district office-bearers and block presidents will be made in the first week of April from a list of nominees drawn up in consultation with Mr. Elangovan and scrutinised by the AICC secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Ramesh Chennithala. According to Mr. Balakrishnan, the appointments will be authorised by him after consultation and scrutiny are completed.

Meanwhile, the former block presidents of both the Congress and the erstwhile Tamil Maanila Congress — which merged with the parent party last year — will attend a meeting being convened here under the AICC aegis for this weekend.

A broad consensus on contentious issues was arrived at after the two warring leaders met the AICC general secretary, Oscar Fernandes, and Mr. Chennithala separately last evening here. This afternoon, at a joint meeting with Mr. Chennithala, both leaders agreed to iron out their differences and work together for strengthening the party in Tamil Nadu.

Apart from cancelling the 15 appointments for district office-bearers and block presidents made by Mr. Balakrishnan and the seven made by Mr. Elangovan, the AICC secretary cancelled all expulsions, ordered by the TNCC president over the past couple of days, which led to rumblings within the State leadership taking the shape of open confrontation.

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