The adage is that a picture is equivalent to 1,000 words. But a photograph taken on Rajiv Gandhi’s death anniversary observed by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee on May 21 at Rajiv Gandhi Memo-
rial near Chennai sums up the state of affairs in the party.
The persons seen in the picture are Manick Tagore, a former MP who represented Virudhunagar Constituency during 2009 to 2014, Arul Anbarasu, son of former TNCC chief who is in the race for a top post in the party and Royapuram Mano, yet another prominent Congress face in the State.
The three leaders were caught in a joyous mood during the solemn and sombre function held to offer tributes to the memories of Rajiv Gandhi, This is one of the widely debated pictures in the social media.
“Over the years, May 21, the Rajiv Gandhi death anniversary, has degenerated into a carnival. leaders come to the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sriperumbudur, offer floral tributes, pose for photographs and leave immediately only to return next year,” a senior TNCC leader told The Pioneer.
The TNCC is a divided house, according to N Kalyan-
asundaram, who has followed the Congress affairs in the State for the last five decades. “There are more leaders in the Congress than the cadre. If a person is appointed as the president of the TNCC, the next day onwards leaders of various factions rush to New Delhi demanding his removal. This has been going on for so many years. It is a tragedy that the Congress which ruled the State till 1967 has not a single leader who is acceptable to al l factions,” said Kalyanasundaram.
The state of affairs in the Congress in TN could be understood from the reactions of the party leaders when the residence of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram was recently raided by the sleuths of the CBI. “It is a welcome move by the investigation agency. This should have been done long back. The cases registered against Karti Chidambaram is a sign that howsoever high a person may be, the hands of law would catch up with him” said a national level Congress leader from Tamil Nadu.
Every year on May 21, hundreds of Congress leaders and workers gather at Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sreeperu-
mbudur, once a non-descript Chennai suburb, where the former PM was murdered by a human suicide bomber owing allegiance to the lTTE.