Row in TN Cong over naming Karti from Sivaganga seat

Chennai: Former Union Minister E M Sudarsana Natchiappan who was a contender for the Sivaganga Lok Sabha seat has strongly opposed the party high command's decision allotting it to Karti P Chidambaram saying people "hated" that family.

While the names of eight other Congress candidates from Tamil Nadu were announced on Friday, the nominee for Sivaganga - Karti Chidambaram - was declared only on Sunday evening.

Besides Karti, the only other contender for Sivaganga seat was Natchiappan.

Natchiappan, who emerged victorious in 1999 Lok Sabha polls defeating H Raja (BJP-runner-up) and P Chidambaram of the Tamil Maanila Congress (who secured the third position), said the decision by the high command has pushed the Congress into a tough situation since Karti Chidambaram was facing "court case." P Chidambaram has won from Sivaganga seven times starting 1984.

"As far as I understand, people hate that entire family (P Chidambaram's family) as they have not done any good for the Sivaganga constituency," Natchiappan who was elected twice to the Rajya Sabha (2004, 2010) told reporters.

Natchiappan, who is also an advocate said naming Karti could also be a reason for future problems in the Congress party. A former union minister of State for commerce and industry, Natchiappan alleged that Chidambaram prevented him from becoming not only the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president but also a Minister at the Centre for about nine years (since UPA assumed power in 2004). He alleged that whenever some posts were offered to him, Chidambaram used to opposed it.