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March 31, 1998

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ELECTIONS '96

Tamil Nadu Congress unit looks forward to Moopanar's re-entry

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K V Thangabalu today welcomed Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Moopanar's stand on unification of the two parties, and said the Congress high command had been urged to take steps in this regard.

Addressing a press conference in Madras, Thangabalu said the state executive of the party, which met on March 22, had passed a resolution on the unification of the two parties as there was no difference in their ideology, outlook or perspective.

Asked whether Congress president Sonia Gandhi had directed him to initiate unity moves with the TMC, Thangabalu parried a direct reply, but said it was his duty as a Congressman to strengthen the organisation by unifying all Congressmen.

At a press conference in Madras yesterday, Moopanar had said if there was an invitation from the Congress president to the TMC for unification, he would examine it.

Asked whether he thought the resignation of all office-bearers of the TMC was a prelude to the merger of the two parties, Thangabalu said it was an internal matter of the TMC and he would not like to offer his comment.

On Moopanar's observation that some sections of the TNCC were opposed to the unification, Thangabalu said the TNCC executive, which was the elected body, was unanimous in its view that the two parties should unify to strengthen the party. There could be some people in the party who had a different viewpoint, he added.

He said he was prepared to make any sacrifice to strengthen the Congress.

Asked whether Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy, a former Congressman and now Union petroleum minister, would also be invited to rejoin the Congress, Thangabalu said Ramamurthy had quit the party to go with the Bharatiya Janata Party front and there was no question on inviting him to the Congress fold.

UNI

Elections '98

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