PUDUCHERRY: Rajya Sabha member P Kannan on Thursday stirred a political hornet’s nest by giving credence to rumours that Chief Minister Rangasamy would return to the Congress fold. “He is moving closer to Congress and will return to the right place at the right time,” the MP said. Citing the manner in which Rangasamy expressed his gratitude to top leaders like AICC president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy for extending Rs 125 crore as interim relief in the wake of cyclone Thane, Kannan said, “It is a good beginning and he should continue to tread the path.”Rangasamy’s mention of Narayanasamy--with whom he does not see eye to eye -- was a point in case. Further, being a Union Territory, Puducherry cannot develop without the Centre’s assistance and “hence he will finally return to the place where he should be,” he said. To a poser whether Kannan would be extending an invitation to Rangasamy on behalf of the party, he responded, “Invitation is not necessary to enter your own house. The doors are open.”Further he said that Rangasamy shared “the same ideology, same goals and same views as ours, despite starting a different party.” At some point of time, one has to do drop the initial (‘AINR’ in AINRC) like he has done by dropping the ‘PM’ in PMC (Puducherry Munnetra Congress), with ‘C’ indicating the Congress.However, AINRC general secretary V Bhalan was quick to dismiss Kannan’s observations. “He is making such statements for political reasons,” opined Bhalan, adding, “While they are doing the talking, the Chief Minister is working for the cyclone-affected.”Chidambaram the mediatorReliable sources said that it was not Kannan, but Chidambaram, with whom Rangasamy is known to share a very good understanding, who was playing the role of a mediator to bring him closer to the Congress. “He is almost like a mentor to Rangasamy,” the sources added. As the UT comes under the direct control of the Union Home Ministry, Rangasamy needs Chidambaram’s cooperation for smooth running of the administration. Moreover, with Rangasamy’s support, Puducherry would be the ideal constituency for Chidambaram to contest from, considering the debacle he almost faced from his Sivagangai constituency during the previous elections.Good TiesRangasamy has also been maintaining good relations with top Congress leaders in New Delhi including Sonia Gandhi. Even the ministers in his cabinet call on her when they visit Delhi. However, it is unlikely that Rangasamy would take a decision in this direction anytime soon, at least till the parliamentary polls.
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