INTUC sees possibility of Cong-AIADMK alliance again

Chennai, July 30: INTUC All India President Dr G Sanjeeva Reddy today hinted that there were chances of an electoral alliance between Congress and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu in the future.

Mr Reddy, who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee while addressing a special state conference of the Tamil Nadu INTUC here said there was no permanent friend or enemy in politics.

He pointed out that the Congress had a political alliance with the AIADMK once and now it has a tie up with the DMK.

It is common in politics to change alliance depending on the situation, he added.

Referring to the alliance of a faction of INTUC led by State INTUC General Secretary Mr G Kalan with the AIADMK in the recent assembly elections, Mr Reddy said ''it was a temporary picnic'' and was over once and for all.

Now Mr Kalan and others have returned back to the Congress party, he said.

Mr Reddy said he held discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and informed her about Mr Kalan's decision to return back to the party. Mrs Gandhi happily agreed to it and permitted Mr Kalan and those who had left to rejoin the party.

He also pointed out that subsequent to his meeting with Mrs Gandhi, he also met Mr Ahmed Patil and Mr Oscar Fernandes in this connection. They also agreed to Mr Kalan and others being readmitted.

He said to avoid such confusion over electoral allaiances in future, he has suggested to the Mrs Sonia Gandhi to give representation to the INTUC in the party's central election committee. She agreed to it in principal. A representative of the INTUC would be named for the party's central election committee soon, added.

He wanted groupism rpt groupism or factionalism in the Tamil Nadu INTUC to be ended and appealed to INTUC members to work unitedly and strengthen the base and the Congress party in Tamil Nadu.

He warned of severe action against those who indulge rivalry in Tamil Nadu unit of INTUC.

Speaking on the occassion, Mr Kalan pointed out that he was forced to forge an alliance with the AIADMK in the recent assembly elections, as the INTUC was not given adequate representation by the Congress. The conference in its resolutions, decided to work with the Tamil Nadu Congress in a conducive manner and for strengthening the party and the INTUC in Tamil Nadu.

The conference also decided to bury the diffferences among the INTUC during the recent assembly elections.

The conference thanked Congress President Mrs Sonia Gandhi for her agreeing to provide representation for INTUC in all the sub- organisations of the party.

UNI