Cong splinter group to merge with NCP

Madurai, Apr 9 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Democratic Congress, a splinter group headed by Mr Tindivanam K Ramamurthy, will formally merge with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on April 13.

Addressing mediapersons here, Mr Ramamurthy, an old warhorse from the OBC Vanniyar belt, said Union Agriculture Minister and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar would attend the conference at Thanjavur on the day of merger.

NCP Stalwarts P A Sangma, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Party MP, Supriya Sule, would participate.

Responding to a question, he admitted that ideologically there was no difference between the Congress and the NCP but the latter stood for self respect and dignity of the grassroot workers.

Disgruntlement during the seat-sharing with the DMK for the Assembly elections resulted in the birth of the TNDC. Ironically, the outfit could not even find a berth in the AIADMK front in that election.

Referring to Tamil Nadu, he said the Congress high-command ducking the issue of powersharing in the Karunanidhi Ministry had not gone well with the party workers. In his opinion, it was total capitulation of the Congress leadership both at the State and at the Centre.

On the recent explosion near Tindivanam which claimed 17 lives, he wanted the government to clear the doubts being raised in the aftermath of the incident instead of sweeping everything under the carpet.

Ordinary explosives could not cause such havoc and the terrorist angle too should be investigated, he added.

UNI