Senior Congress leader EVKS Elangovan on Tuesday said he would take up the issue of non-declaration of nominees for the Karaikudi Municipality despite applications with party president Sonia Gandhi.Despite receiving 400 applications, Congress had not declared official nominee for the post of chairman in Karaikudi. Nominees for the posts of councillors in 27 wards were also not announced out of the total 36. In nine wards, where candidates were declared, three were allegedly DMK supporters. Youth Congressmen staged a hunger strike on Sunday. They alleged that certain party functionaries with the ‘blessings’ of a Union Minister’s supporters had ensured a ‘tacit understanding’ with the DMK in Karaikudi. This was to help the DMK candidates win the polls. Elangovan was among those who pacified the protesting functionaries and promised action on Monday. When Express sought his reaction, he said, “In Karaikudi, hundreds of party workers especially the Youth Congress brothers had expressed desire to contest. Still they were not nominated. Sources say that it was done to help the DMK. This has forced party workers to contest as independents.” Stating that a former Congress MLA of the region was said to be behind the incident, Elangovan said the ex-legislator was a close relative of the DMK nominee for the Karaikudi chairman’s post.“When I took up the issue with Sivaganga MP and Union Minister Chidambaram, he said that the district president was responsible for it...No doubt, I will take up this issue with Madam Gandhi. How can we tolerate people who work against the party interests?” he asked.
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