The Congress, which had all along stayed away from the Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation (Teso) launched by the DMK, despite being allies, recently attended a seminar conducted here only to ensure that the Congress is not seen to be the odd man out on the issue, especially when the general elections are just a year away.
According to sources, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi gave the go-ahead in a recent interaction with Congress MPs from Tamil Nadu where he was apprised of the pros and cons of raising the Sri Lankan Tamils cause. He was briefed that all parties in the state have thrown their weight behind the demand that Sri Lanka be held to account for its alleged war crimes in the last stages of its war with the LTTE in 2009.
Above all, sources said Rahul was also concerned about the probable electoral dividends that other parties might reap over the issue.
Prior to the defeat of the LTTE, the Gandhi scion was sceptical of the regional parties that kept on harping on the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils only to help and force India to rush to the rescue of the Tigers, sources further said.
But now that the scenario has changed, Rahul with an eye on the next polls gave the green signal to participate in the seminar.
Ghulamnabi Azad in the company of state party chief Gnanadesikan and MPs Sudarsana Natchiappan and N.S.V. Chiththan attended it. The participation also served to improve strained ties with Congress’ alliance partner namely the DMK. The two have been in an uneasy relationship ever since 2009.
With the country slowly getting into the election mode, parties also need to make common cause on issues that strike an emotional chord with the electorate, sources pointed out.
The Teso seminar here would have been a disaster if only the Congress had not taken part in it as most of the invited parties stayed away from it.
The Teso meet held in August 2012 passed 14 resolutions aimed at improving the wellbeing of the Sri Lankan Tamils.