The Hindu : Kerala Congress chief goes on the offensive

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 27, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Kerala Congress chief goes on the offensive

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 26. The senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, continued to maintain a stoic silence about his next move, while his son and the KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, went on the offensive, hinting at hard decisions at the faction's convention on January 28 if the party high command failed to come up with a solution.

Significantly, Mr. Karunakaran has not yet gone to the extent that Mr. Muraleedharan has gone in his responses to the delay in the high command working out a feasible formula to settle factional differences in the party. The KPCC president made some hard-hitting comments when a group of journalists met him at his office here today, issuing an ultimatum of sorts for settling the problems. "Wait for 48 hours more," he said in response to a question whether the party would split.

He said it was no more possible to suffer humiliations. Mr. Karunakaran built the Congress party in Kerala. Those who are trying to sideline him would soon learn which side the Congress workers stand. One has to wait for two more months.

Mr. Karunakaran did not reveal his mind when he was asked by presspersons a few days ago whether the prospect of a split was anywhere in the horizon. "I will discuss the issues with my supporters before making a move," he said.

However, he did admit at that time that his moves were by and large limited by the recent amendments to the anti-defection laws.

Both Mr. Karunakaran and Mr. Muraleedharan appeared to be keen on discounting the current campaign against their brand of politics. "Those who are propagating the view that Mr. Karunakaran is only interested in promoting the interests of his family will have to wait till the elections," Mr. Muraleedharan said. He refused to react to news reports that the party high command was reluctant to settle the crisis by offering the key portfolios of Home and Finance to the faction.

Some of the other Karunakaran faction leaders have taken hard positions, even going to the extent of stating that the split should be formalised on January 28 itself so that the faction would get sufficient time to seek an alternative alliance much ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

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