Chennai, Dec 21: Floral tributes were paid by senior Congress leaders today to their departed party colleague and former Union minister, Vazhapadi Ramamoorthy, with All India Secretaries Ramesh Chennithala and Naresh Rawal, taking the lead.

Unveiling a portrait of Ramamoorthy and paying rich tributes, Chennithala and Rawal exhorted partymen to strengthen the secular forces to fight the communal and divisive forces in the country. All India secretary, G K Vasan, Tamil Nadu president, S Balakrishnan and working president, E V K S Elangovan, joined others in paying floral tributes.

Ramamoorthy, who floated his own outfit, Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress, and subsequently merged it with the Congress, died following a heart attack here on October 27. Bureau Report