The Hindu : Karunakaran to stick to leadership change

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Karunakaran to stick to leadership change

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 18. The Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, left for New Delhi for talks with the Congress high command this afternoon while his spokesman claimed that the talks would cover the veteran leader's demand for leadership change in Government.

The spokesman, Rajmohan Unnithan, said the high command had asked Mr. Karunakaran to stay in Delhi for talks though the original purpose of his trip was to attend the meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party.

However, he would not have gone unless the high command had agreed to discuss the demand for removal of A.K. Antony as Chief Minister.

A change in leadership, Mr. Unnithan said, was needed for victory of the party in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The group has no other formula for settlement of the issues.

He said that the convention of the faction proposed for January 20 was being postponed to January 28 in view of the talks.

However, the convention would be held on January 28 whatever be the decisions in Delhi.

He said the issues could be easily solved if Mr. Karunakaran and Mr. Antony, talked to each other. He did not know whether Mr. Antony was reluctant to do so.

He said the former Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao, and other party leadership had used Mr. Karunakaran's experience in the past gainfully.

The Congress could gain if Mr. Karunakaran's vast experience was used to solve the problems faced by the party at the national and State levels.

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