The Hindu : Rider to Cabinet berth for Murali

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 30, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Rider to Cabinet berth for Murali

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 29. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, K. Muraleedharan's induction into the Antony Cabinet appears to be a foregone conclusion and he is likely to get ``a portfolio that would be equivalent to the status of the post he now holds.''

However, there is a rider to the proposal, with the onus being put on Mr. Muraleedharan to bring round the senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, to agree to the formula and drop his plan to form a separate party. This is the sum and substance of the talks that Mr. Muralidharan had with the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, at the latter's residence here this evening.

Before the one-to-one dialogue took place, protracted discussions were held between the Chief Minister, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and Industries Minister, P.K. Kunhalikutty, the Revenue Minister, K.M. Mani, and the UDF convener, Oommen Chandy, in the morning, followed by a meeting between Mr. Karunakaran, Mr. Kunhalikutty and Mr. Mani in the evening. The two UDF Ministers' mission, it appears, was to broker a fair deal for Mr. Muraleedharan in terms of portfolio allocation.

The Ministers expressed their optimism at a "happy end" to the current impasse, with the formula of settlement revolving around getting Mr. Karunakaran to agree to it. However, Mr. Karunakaran continued to maintain his recalcitrant position. The major thrust of the dialogues between Mr. Muraleedharan and Mr. Antony revolved around how to tackle Mr. Karunakaran and make him agree to the proposals. According to reliable sources, Mr. Muraleedharan took up the responsibility of undertaking the task. The question of portfolio did not figure in the talks between Mr. Muraleedharan and Mr. Antony, with the latter reportedly refraining from bringing up the subject on the basis of propriety.

The AICC would make the formal announcement of the induction of Mr. Muraleedharan only after Mr. Karunakaran gives his green signal and it could take place any day after the end of the current Assembly session on February 9, on which day the House is slated to debate the removal notice against the Speaker, Vakkom Purushothaman.

"The issues are being resolved and the Congress high command would make the formal announcement soon", Mr. Muraleedharan told mediapersons soon after his meeting with Mr. Antony. In reply to a question, he said that Mr. Karunakaran was still in the party and would not quit the party. As for the other issues he had raised in the last few months, including the prospects of the UDF winning the Lok Sabha polls, Mr. Muraleedharan said the dialogues included how to resolve these issues so that the party could fight the elections united.

According to Karunakaran faction leaders, the focal point of their mentor's demand revolved around a package that included retaining the KPCC president's post within the group, and a fair accommodation in terms of ticket distribution for the Lok Sabha. "If these terms are acceptable to the Chief Minister, it is possible that Mr. Muraleedharan would take over as Minister in the Antony Cabinet," they said.

In the meantime, the other anti-Karunakaran factions termed the stand taken by Mr. Muraleedharan and Mr. Karunakaran "an enactment of a drama and a big joke." The `third group' leader, Joseph Vazhakkan , said Mr. Karunakaran's declaration that he would form a new party was nothing but brinksmanship.

The MLAs who left the Karunakaran faction recently expressing their differences to Mr. Karunakaran's move to split the party, said they welcomed the KPCC president's statement that he would stand by the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi.

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