Chennai, February 17 TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai said on Tuesday that the Congress high command was "monitoring those who are violating" its directive to refrain from commenting on power-sharing with the DMK and would decide on the action to be taken.
In effect endorsing Selvaperunthagai's stance, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal distanced himself from party MP Manickam Tagore's views on power sharing and said it did not represent the party's official position.
"This is not the party's view. It is an individual opinion. We are waiting for discussions to begin with the DMK," Venugopal told reporters after participating in a march demanding the restoration of the rural employment scheme, MGNREGA, here.
He added that any decision on alliances would be made only by the Congress high command, and noted, "The Congress and DMK are old allies. We have a long tradition of working together on common issues to fight against fascist forces and communal forces. We work together, and we are united."
Earlier, responding to party MP Manickam Tagore's persistent demand for a share in power with the DMK, Selvaperunthagai said party members had been told not to speak about alliances in public forums.
"Our leaders—Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and K C Venugopal—have told us not to publicly express our views. I don't know if anyone is more important than these leaders in the Congress," he emphasised.
Asked about his meeting with Kharge in Bengaluru, the TNCC president told reporters, "Our high command asked about the ground reality in Tamil Nadu. I explained the situation and the political climate in the state."
On Tagore's insistence on power-sharing, he said, "My position is the same as that of the high command. Party members should refrain from expressing their views publicly."
Asked to comment on Tagore's justification of his plea and his claim that both he and Selvaperunthagai were like brothers, Selvaperunthagai replied, "Even you and I are brothers—one is older and the other younger. And I don't fight."
Earlier in the day, Manickam Tagore told reporters in Madurai that there were no differences between him and Selvaperunthagai, and that they were like an elder and younger brother.
The MP also claimed that the Congress high command was "aware of the demand for a share in power with the DMK."