The Hindu : Karunakaran threatens split

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 29, 2004

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Karunakaran threatens split

By Girish Menon

The Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, lighting a lamp to inaugurate a convention of his supporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. — Photo: S. Mahinsha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 28. The veteran Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, today took his first step towards splitting the Congress in Kerala by announcing his intention to form a separate party, with its own flag and symbol within a week.

Soon after Mr. Karunakaran's announcement at a convention of his supporters today, his son and KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, asserted that he would continue to be a disciplined party worker and obey whatever decision the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, might take to resolve the current crisis in the Kerala unit of the party irrespective of whether he personally liked it or not.

Mr. Karunakaran belied the hopes of his supporters and detractors by announcing that the new party, to be named after Indira Gandhi, would come into being within a week. He said that steps had been taken to form separate committees at the State, district and block levels. Some of the United Democratic Front partners would also come forward to associate with the new party. The convention was attended by 19 MLAs, including two Ministers, P. Sankaran and Kadavoor Sivadasan, and V.S. Sivakumar, MP.

Asked whether he had differences with his father, Mr. Muraleedharan said he was sure Mr. Karunakaran would not split the party. The convention was preceded by last-ditch efforts to make Mr. Karunakaran change his mind. Mr. Muraleedharan was closeted with Mr. Karunakaran for more than two hours and the AICC general secretary, Ahmed Patel, telephoned Mr. Muraleedharan and Mr. Karunakaran trying to persuade them not to take any extreme position.

The two UDF Ministers, P.K. Kunhalikutty and K.M. Mani, continued their efforts to find a solution to the crisis, but Mr. Karunakaran summarily rejected their formula stating that he could not be contained by merely accommodating his son in the Antony Cabinet.

Later talking to The Hindu , Mr. Karunakaran said the convention clearly showed which side of the divide Congress workers belonged. Asked whether there was any difference of opinion with Mr. Muraleedharan, he said: "At least now you should be able to accept that my politics does not revolve round my children."

Mr. Antony remained cool and did not seem to be in a hurry for a patch-up. He, however, made it clear that there was no question of giving more concessions to Mr. Karunakaran.

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