Date:27/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/27/stories/2008122760690700.htm

New Delhi

Congress may demand VCK’s ouster from UPA

J Balaji

Due to Thirumavalavan’s pro-LTTE speeches

“All Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu are united on the issue”

NEW DELHI: The Congress is likely to urge the DMK to oust, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), from the UPA due to the pro-LTTE speeches made by its president Thol. Thirumavalavan.

Stating this to The Hindu, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.V. Thangkabalu said though VCK had contested the 2006 election to the Tamil Nadu Assembly in alliance with the AIADMK and joined the DMK front subsequently “we don’t want to share dais with any organisation that supported the banned LTTE.”

It would be absolutely against the interests of the Congress and the country, if anyone joined hands with those supporting the LTTE that killed former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

He said the subject would be discussed in the executive committee of the party and a decision taken on urging the DMK to snap its ties with the VCK.

Union Minister of State for Textiles and former TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan made it clear that the the DMK government should take action against Mr. Thirumavalavan and arrest him for his pro-LTTE speeches.

All the Congress MPs from the State who met AICC president Sonia Gandhi recently at Delhi told her firmly that the DMK government should be urged to act upon VCK immediately.

“All the Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu are united on the issue.” Even Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram echoed the same view in the meeting with Ms. Gandhi, he said.

On the PMK, another known supporter of the LTTE, continuing in the alliance Mr. Elangovan claimed that the PMK leaders had not given any pro-LTTE statements recently. It was four years ago when they supported the LTTE, he said.

The Congress on Friday welcomed the statement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi that the State Government would take action against anybody who supported the LTTE.

In a suo moto statement, Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said at the party’s regular briefing both the Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu were concerned over the civilian population in Sri Lanka but it does not mean supporting the LTTE.