Rahul\, Priyanka to address rallies in Tamil Nadu this month

Tamil Nad

Rahul, Priyanka to address rallies in Tamil Nadu this month

File photo of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Vadra, at an election meeting in Rae Bareli.

File photo of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Vadra, at an election meeting in Rae Bareli.   | Photo Credit: Rajeev Bhatt

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Seat-sharing talks between DMK, Congress to begin once polls are announced

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is likely to address two rallies in Tamil Nadu in February and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will take part in one of them, newly appointed TNCC president K.S. Alagiri said.

Mr. Alagiri and his team of working presidents called on DMK president M.K. Stalin and senior leaders of the party at Anna Arivalayam on Wednesday.

“Rahul Gandhi will take part in two meetings in February. Priyanka Gandhi will take part in one of them,” Mr. Alagiri told reporters after the meeting with Mr. Stalin, which he described as a courtesy call.

The public meetings are likely to assume significance as top leaders of the BJP are set to hold meetings with their party cadre in the State, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to address at least two meetings in Tamil Nadu this month. With speculation on an alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK gaining traction, the State Congress has been insisting that the DMK-Congress alliance include others to sweep the State and the lone seat in Puducherry, TNCC sources said.

Mr. Alagiri said seat sharing talks between the DMK and the Congress would begin once elections are announced. On Tuesday, the AICC announced six committees to the TNCC for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

Poll committee

The Pradesh Election Committee, which will be in charge of candidate selection, will be headed by Mr. Alagiri and has senior leaders K.R. Ramasamy, P. Chidambaram, K.V. Thangkabalu, Kumari Anandhan, E.V.K. S. Elangovan, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Su. Thirunavukkarasar and Peter Alphonse, among others.

The coordination committee will be headed by Mr. Elangovan, the campaign committee by Mr. Thirunavukkarasar, publicity committee by Mr. Thangkabalu and media coordination committee by Mr. Alphonse and Mr. Gopanna, while the election management team that has five members will be led by Mr. Ramasamy.

“There are some more who are keen on joining our secular alliance. The DMK and Congress leadership will sit together and take a decision. More than how many MPs are there from each party, this election is about defeating the communal Modi government,” he said.

Mr. Alagiri insisted that the AIADMK-BJP alliance did not exist at present.

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