Date:24/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/24/stories/2006032420450600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Stay away from Kalan-led meet: INTUC vice-president

Special Correspondent

Warns of action against those participating in it

CHENNAI: Office-bearers of various unions affiliated to the Indian Trade Union Congress (INTUC) have been directed not to attend the general council meeting convened by State president P.L. Subbiah and general secretary G. Kalan here on March 24.

Disciplinary action would be taken against those who participated in the meeting, warned INTUC State unit vice-president N.Nanjappan here on Thursday.

(The Kalan-led faction of the INTUC has joined the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance in the State recently.)

Talking to newsmen here, Mr. Nanjappan said the central unit of the INTUC had written to Mr.Kalan that he should not convene any general council meeting. But he had convened the general council meeting. This would be considered unauthorised.

No powers

As per the union's constitution, the INTUC should support only the Congress and its alliance in general elections and local units had no powers to take any decision contrary to it.

He said Mr.Kalan as an individual was free to support any alliance but he had no powers to align with a non-Congress front in the State under the union's cover.

Refuting Mr.Kalan's charge that INTUC was not given its due share in the selection of candidates in the general elections, Mr. Nanjappan said Mr.Kalan himself was given the party ticket in a previous Assembly elections.

In the coming Assembly elections, the Union had appealed to the party high command to give at least five seats and the party also agreed to consider the request favourably.

Mr.Nanjappan claimed that 400 out of 435 unions affiliated to the INTUC were against the AIADMK alliance and at a general body meeting held in Satyamurthi Bhavan here on March 12 a resolution was adopted opposing the alliance.