Sandeep Dikshit claims Congress a deciding factor Tamil Nadu; 'leaders visit before polls'

Congress leader and late former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's son Sandeep Dikshit said on Thursday that Congress has always been a 'deciding factor' in Tamil Nadu. He said that despite not being in power for decades, Congress has supporters from all across the state. 

READ | BJP Questions Congress' Flip-flop On Jallikattu Ahead Of Rahul Gandhi's Madurai Visit

Congress has always been a 'deciding factor' 

Dikshit was quoted by ANI saying, "Though Congress is now in the third position in Tamil Nadu, as DMK and AIADMK have always been the first two biggest parties in the state, most of the times, with whichever party the Congress party has formed an alliance with, that has always won the elections, so even if Congress is in the third position, they have always played a crucial role in the state and has been a 'deciding factor'. "

READ | RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Celebrates Pongal In Chennai & Meets Startups; Rahul & Nadda In TN

"Even today, despite being out of power for the past 40-50 years in the state, you will find Congress supporters in every village, district, and city. Therefore, Tamil Nadu has always been an important state for the Congress, and whenever the TN polls are ahead, top Congress leaders always visit the state," he added. 

READ | Rahul Gandhi Taunts Centre Over Plea Against Farmer Tractor Rally On R-Day; BJP Hits Back

Meanwhile, Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi attended a bull-taming event called Jallikattu in Madurai on Thursday. Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri had mentioned that the Wayanad MP will lend his moral support to farmers protesting against the agrarian laws by witnessing the sport at Avaniyapuram Arena in Madurai on the occasion of Pongal. "The bull is a symbol of farmers and part of their lives,” Alagiri observed, adding that Gandhi shall not engage in any election campaign on January 14, though that turned out to not be true as he launched a language row-based attack as soon as he reached. 

READ | Rahul Gandhi Proclaims Continued Protests Till Farm Laws Are Repealed; Opposes SC's Panel

Tamil Nadu assembly elections are due during April-May and the political parties have started their campaign. While DMK's MK Stalin is contesting for becoming the Chief Minister for the first time, AIADMK has arrived at reconciliation between two warring factions - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS). Incumbent E Palaniswamy has been named as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. On the other side, AIADMK has said that they are the big-brother within the NDA alliance. Meanwhile, Kamal Hassan is on a campaign trail and Alagiri has said that the launch of his political party will be in January. Superstar Rajinikanth who was about to launch his party this year has backed out due to health reasons. 

(With ANI Inputs)