Pranab in Chennai seeking support for Pondy Govt.

By Javed M Ansari

NEW DELHI, MAY 15. The senior party leader and CWC member, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, is leaving for Chennai this evening to call on the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha. The purpose of Mr. Mukherjee's visit is to solicit the AIADMK's support for his party's bid to form the Government in Pondicherry.

Although members of the same front in Tamil Nadu, both the Congress and the AIADMK fought separately in Pondicherry. While the Congress-TMC combine managed to win 13 seats in the recently- concluded Assembly elections, the number is still short of the halfway mark in the Assembly.

The AIADMK which fought alongside the PMK has three MLAs and its support is crucial for the Congress to form a government.

The decision to send Mr. Pranab Mukherjee follows a telephonic chat between the Congress president, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha. Mrs. Gandhi reportedly rang up the AIADMK chief to congratulate her on party's victory and on her becoming Chief Minister. Incidentally, Mrs. Gandhi also rang up Ms. Mamata Banerjee to boost her morale.

This is the second time that Mr. Mukherjee is being sent to Chennai to sort out matters. He was first sent along with the general secretary incharge, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, to initiate the seat sharing talks with the AIADMK supremo before the elections.

It appears likely that Mr. Mukherjee might also attend the CLP meeting of the party if it is held tomorrow.

Before that however he has a dinner appointment with the TMC chief, Mr. G.K. Moopanar, tonight.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mukherjee who met the Congress president today gave her a detailed analysis of the results in West Bengal and the reasons for the Congress-TMC performance in the State. Mr. Mukherjee also reportedly offered to relinquish his post ``now that the purpose for which he had been sent as WBPCC chief'' had been achieved.

The Congress president reportedly asked him to continue a while longer as the pressure of work would now be less and his presence would not be needed in the State as much as it was before the elections.

Although it is most likely that Mr. Mukherjee will ultimately be allowed to comeback to Delhi, it might not happen immediately and could even take a month or two.

Meanwhile, in a unrelated development Mrs. Gandhi has also asked the general secretaries in the AICC to complete the organisational structure in the States. The general secretaries have been asked to constitute the PCCs and the District Congress committees besides the State executive within a short period.

They have also been asked to keep the PCCs lean and not to exceed 51-member mark. They have been advised not to go in for omnibus bodies just as in the past.

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