Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu): More than a decade after its merger with parent party, G K Moopanar founded Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) was revived by his son and former Union Minister GK Vasan, weeks after he quit the Congress.
"Our aim is to ensure a prosperous Tamil Nadu and a strong India. And to achieve this aim, we are reviving Tamil Maanila Congress founded by Moopanar," he declared emphatically at a public rally in Tiruchirappalli.
"From this moment, our movement will be called Tamil Maanila Congress and we shall be friends of Tamil people and serve them," Vasan said in his brief address formally launching his new regional party, which was well attended by his supporters.
The party is trying to secure the 'Bicycle' symbol, one that was allotted to TMC when Moopanar founded it. In 1996, Moopanar, one of the tallest leaders of the Congress, severed links with the party protesting against it's alliance with the AIADMK and launched the TMC, which was merged with the Congress party in 2002.
Interestingly after about 18 years, his son Vasan has taken the same course, dumping the Congress with which he was associated for more than a decade and enjoyed power in both UPA I and II regimes.
Vasan had quit the Congress on November 3 alleging that the state units were being ignored by the Congress high command and poor management of party affairs by some of the top leaders at Delhi. He had then announced he would float a new regional party that would "fulfil the aspirations" of people of Tamil Nadu.
In 1996, the TMC fought the assembly polls in alliance with the DMK and the combine with the backing of Tamil cinema star Rajnikanth, swept the elections. It tasted success in Parliament polls too. Now the TMC has taken birth ahead of the assembly polls, due in 2016.
