Supporters of Chidambaram, Elangovan criticise each other

An all-out poster war has broken out in the Congress in Tamil Nadu, with supporters of the former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, and TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan criticising each other across walls in several cities.

On Sunday, both the factions took to the traditional campaign mode to speak out for their respective leaders. Walls in Tiruchi, Madurai, Erode, Chennai and Sivaganga were pasted with posters in which one faction condemned the other for bringing disrepute to the TNCC.

Tension has been simmering between the two groups ever since Karti Chidambaram, son of Mr. Chidambaram, came out in the open with his critical remarks on the functioning of the TNCC.

On Friday, Mr. Elangovan virtually asked Mr. Chidambaram and his son to quit the party, prompting the former Sivaganga MP to take up the matter with party president Sonia Gandhi.

Ms. Gandhi later called up Mr. Elangovan and expressed displeasure over the timing of his statement, coming as it did on a day when senior leader Jayanthi Natarajan had quit the party.