ANOTHER CASTE-BASED PARTY IN THE OFFING?

ANOTHER CASTE-BASED PARTY IN THE OFFING?
Published Date: 2/17/2009 - (NIE)
G Saravanan
Chennai, February 16:
IN what could be a ‘timely’ decision for Tamil Nadu Parkava Kula Sangam, a united body of Udayar, Moopanar and Nainar communities in the state, the association has mooted a plan to float a political party to meet the community’s aspiration in different levels.According to sources, T. Pachamuthu, one of the prominent faces of the community and Chancellor of SRM University has openly asked the officer-bearers of the Sangam during its general body meeting on Sunday to seriously think about floating a party for safeguarding the community’s aspirations in future.The annual meeting, described as a significant and important one, was attended by more than 800 representatives from different parts of the state. A resolution was passes at the meet. V.R. Venkataachalam, prominent patron of the Parkava Kula Sangam and Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University also seconded Pachamuthu’s idea of forming a new party during the meeting.Based on the resolution that was intensely debated and later passed unanimously, a 10-member committee comprising influential people, was formed to envisage the floating of the new party. Though the name and flag of the party are not finalised yet, the newly formed committee is expected to give its detailed report in the next few days.The community is estimated to have a strength of around 60 lakh and they do not form a majority in any district of TN, but they are noticeable group in areas in and around Pudukottai, Karur, Trichy, Salem, Namakkal, Tanjavur, Mannarkudi, Kumbakonam, Thiruvannamalai, Ramanathapuram, Chennai, Sivagangai and Puduchery.