The state Congress chief is seen as a supporter of the DMK-Congress alliance, while the party workers who heckled Thangkabalu were acolytes of former Union minister EVKS Elangovan, a critic of the DMK government. Thangkabalu and the high command have warned of disciplinary action against party leaders speaking against the Congress-DMK alliance, but Elangovan remains undeterred.
As Congress president Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to visit Chennai on October 9, Thangkabalu has been touring the state to make arrangements for the Congress show in Chennai. At a preparatory meeting in Erode on Sunday, Elangovan set the tone and mood for confrontation at the meeting as he insisted that the Congress should lead an alliance of regional parties comprising the DMDK and PMK and re-establish Kamaraj rule' in Tamil Nadu.
The Congress has three options -- aligning with the DMK, going with the AIADMK, and leading its own electoral front. Congress cadres want the party to snap ties with the DMK and form its own alliance ," Elangovan said.
Most of his supporters too echoed his severe-ties-with-DMK' line, but Thangkabalu remained unmoved. As the meeting wound up, Thangkabalu appealed to party workers to remain calm. The alliance, he insisted, would be decided only by the party high command. "However, the Congress would ensure that it got its due share of seats in the coming elections."
Not too pleased with his response, about 70 partymen crowded around his vehicle and raised slogans against the continuance of ties with the DMK. "Do not toe the DMK line," they shouted. After a few minutes, Elangovan stepped in and pacified his supporters. "The party cadres expressed their feelings. But I pacified them and escorted Thangkabalu out of the venue," Elangovan told TOI.
Later talking to the media in Coimbatore, Thangkabalu said action would be initiated against those who make public issues that have to be discussed within the party forum. On the alliance question, he said, "Sonia Gandhi will decide."
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