The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Pondicherry News : Kannan launches Puducherry Munnetra Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 12, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Pondicherry

Kannan launches Puducherry Munnetra Congress

Rajesh Nair

"Time for reconciliation over"

PONDICHERRY: Suspended Congress leader and former Minister P Kannan, on Wednesday formally launched his political party, Puducherry Munnetra Congress.

He claimed that the new party would capture power in the next Assembly elections.

The formation of the new party took place at a press conference where a large number of his supporters were also present.

However no MLAs owing allegiance to Mr. Kannan turned up at the meeting.

Mr. Kannan has retained the Congress flag for the new party and the only difference is that the hand symbol will be replaced by Mr. Kannan's face.

He said a new symbol would be adopted after the Election Commission allotted an emblem.

"I have retained the Congress flag to show that I remain a Congressman. After the next Assembly elections I will prove that my new party is the original Congress party in Pondicherry," he said.

`Agreement ignored'

Mr. Kannan said he had formed the new party as the Congress leadership had ignored the "unwritten" agreement when his Puducherry Makkal Congress merged with the Congress party. The central leadership had agreed that his party would get the post it sought.

Another reason for the new political outfit was "to save the face of the Congress Government and party which was anti-people and mired in corruption."

The party would decide about forming an alliance with other political parties when elections were declared. He devoted a major part of his address to attacking the Chief Minister and PCC president.

However, he did not make any charges against the Congress president.

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