Congress tries to pacify rebel Rangasamy

Following rumours about former Pondy chief minister N Rangasamy quitting the Congress, the high command deputed Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president A V Subramanian and former Tamil Nadu Pradesh Congress Committee president M Krishnasamy to call on Rangasamy and hold talks with him.

The two Congress leaders reached Rangasamy's residence around 10am on Wednesday and the three leaders were behind closed doors for over 20 minutes. Krishnasamy maintained that it was a courtesy call, while Subramanian admitted that the Congress high command deputed them to call on Rangasamy and to convince him to remain in the party. "The Congress high command directed Krishnasamy and me to meet Rangasamy and ask him to remain in the party following rumours that he is planning to quit the party and float a new one. We met him on Wednesday morning and conveyed this message to him. He did not make any commitment," Subramanian told The Times of India.