Puducherry Congress leaders call on Sonia Gandhi

Organisational changes likely in U.T., says a Congress leader

Senior Congress leaders from Puducherry met party president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to discuss organisational matters.

Former Ministers M. Kandasamy, M.O.H F Shahjahan and former government whip R.K.R. Anantharaman met the Congress president on Monday at her residence. They are also expected to meet Congress leader and Member of Parliament N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Kandasamy and Mr. Shahjahan met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.

The recent meetings have led to a strong speculation that the party high command is contemplating organisational changes in the Pradesh Congress Committee.

Downplaying the significance of the meetings, Mr. Kandasamy said “it was just a courtesy call and we generally discussed party affairs”.

The former Minister said both the leaders enquired about organisational matters in the Union Territory. “The Congress president wants the party workers to give their best in the local bodies elections. She also showed a keen interest in strengthening the party from the grassroot level,”’ he said.

After the Congress party faced its worst ever poll debacle during last year’s Assembly election, speculations are rife that the high command will bring organisational changes in the Union Territory. “We are going to see certain developments before the local bodies polls,” a senior Congress leader told The Hindu.