The widening feud in the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA) is spilling over to the public with Chennai Chemists & Druggists Association (Chennai C&D), a splinter group of TNCDA with 30,000 retailers, all set to sever its ties with TNCDA to revive its independent identity.  

Chennai C&D general secretary T Natarajan has now called a meeting of supporting traders belongings to TNCDA.  The prime objective for calling a separate meeting is to form a statewide organisation of retailers parallel to TNCDA, industry sources said.

Chennai C&D is the first pharma trade body formed in Chennai. When the state branch of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) was constituted in the state, Chennai C&D became an affiliate to the state association, TNCDA. But, later because of organisational issues within the association, Chennai C&D took an independent stance, but continued working with it, Natarajan said.

“Currently we have district committees in Madurai and Karur districts in addition to Chennai where our membership strength is 8,000. All over Tamil Nadu, 30,000 medical stores are under our organisation and they are all active members. In the year 2012,  I was made the Administrative Secretary for the TNCDA. In the 2015 election, I contested for the general secretary post, but was defeated by a group led by N Anandan who became the AS after that. Actually Chennai C&D was instrumental for forming the TNCDA in Tamil Nadu and I am continuing as its general secretary for the last 10 years. Since the traders want to stand by us, we have decided to sever all relation with AIOCD and TNCDA, and revive our earlier independent stance,” Natarajan told Pharmabiz.

Endorsing his claim of strength of his group, Mannargudi Ramachandran, president of TNCDA, said seven zonal committees in Chennai district are supporting Natarajan and his team, and all over Tamil Nadu their membership is getting strengthened. Without ruling out the possibility of a merger, he said Chennai C&D is currently working in liaison with the distributors’ body, TNPDA, the state branch of AICDF, so there is possibility for a permanent alliance.

Responses of traders from different districts show that more than 10 district committees of the Tamil Nadu chemists and druggists organisation are planning to attend the meeting called by Chennai C&D. According to them, it is the first pharma retail forum formed in Chennai.

Natarajan said his association consists of both retailers and distributors, and 70 per cent of the sales turn-over is done by their members only. He hopes that 60 per cent of the total retailers will support his meeting.

In addition to the pharma traders, pharma industry captains from across the state and leaders of industry associations will also be invited to the meeting. This is the first time Chennai C&D is inviting manufacturers to their meeting. The office-bearers will meet the regulatory officials and the state director of drugs control before the meeting is held.