Elangovan bats for "free hand" to TN unit to strengthen party

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister EVKS Elangovan today said it was important that the State unit had a much better say and a free hand to strengthen the party in Tamil Nadu.
Giving vent to the long time grievance of several party functionaries, Elangovan said "only leaders and workers in Tamil Nadu know the ground situation. The party high command should elicit our opinion before deciding on (key questions like) alliance with parties."
He was speaking at a function to mark the first death anniversary of former MLA Latha Priyakumar at the party headquarters Satyamurthi Bhavan.
Stating that the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief B S Gnanadesikan had faced difficulties in his effort to appoint district party functionaries in the State, Elangovan indicated that the exercise was protracted due to the high command's red tape.

Former Shipping Minister G K Vasan said demonstrations would be held across Tamil Nadu on June 27 to condemn the hike in rail passenger fare and freight tariff.
Gnanadesikan, referring to the letter of DMK chief Karunanidhi to Modi reportedly exhorting him to not repeat the mistakes (rail fare hike) committed by the Congress, he said, "do not forget that you were part of our party led regime..If at all some mistakes had been done, it should not be forgotten that your party too had a role in it."
Congress party lost power to the DMK in Tamil Nadu in 1967. Since then, the State has been ruled by the DMK and AIADMK alternately.