AICC secretary Ramesh Chennithala on Monday submitted his report to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on the merger talks between the party and the TMC.Sources said the TMC is keen on getting a big representation in the Congress committees, from DCCs to the PCC. There has, however, been no talk so far on who would get the posts of CLP leader and TNCC president. Sonia is expected to invite TMC chief G.K. Vasan for talks after Chennithala’s return to Delhi. Chennithala is now in Goa after the recent split in the state’s BJP legislature party.The merger would materialise only after Sonia and Vasan talk on merger modalities and he gets his PCC’s approval. In Chennai, AICC observers Oscar Fernandes and Chennithala held separate meetings with TNCC officebearers and TMC leaders.TMC leaders told the observers that they were keen on major posts because they were the state’s third largest party. Though Vasan is yet to spell out any demands before the AICC leadership, he has invited them for talks with his party leaders who were with his father, late G.K. Moopanar, from Kamraj’s time.All the leaders were willing to merge their party with the Congress but they insisted the TMC be given preference in most party posts at all levels. TMC leaders reportedly told the AICC observers that they have 22 MLAs compared with the Congress’ seven and have an elected body of 300,000 workers.
