The Hindu : Kerala News : AICC ready for talks with Karunakaran

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Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

AICC ready for talks with Karunakaran

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 15. Keen to avoid a vertical split in its Kerala unit a year before the Assembly elections, the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) today indicated a willingness to discuss contentious issues with the veteran Congressman, K. Karunakaran, provided he made the first move.

The AICC in-charge of Kerala, Ahmed Patel, told mediapersons that if Mr. Karunakaran so desires, the central leadership was willing to hold discussions with him. The octogenarian leader is scheduled to be in the Capital on Wednesday.

Also, Mr. Patel indicated that the central leadership would hold its fire till March 21 — the day the last of the three controversial rallies called by the Karunakaran faction is scheduled. After its suspension of the former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Mr. Karunakaran's son, K. Muraleedharan, along with some other group leaders last week failed to bear fruit, the AICC has since the weekend been reviewing its strategy.

Part of the change in the AICC outlook is being attributed to the former Chief Minister A.K. Antony, who has been advocating a softer line against the Karunakaran faction unlike his successor, Oommen Chandy. Mr. Antony, who has been camping in the Capital since last weekend, has met the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and discussed the issue threadbare with Mr. Patel.

According to Mr. Antony, the Congress in Kerala can ill afford a split in its rank and file. Also, in his opinion, the current stalemate cannot be solved at the State level, and the AICC ought to intervene and find a way out. Arguing that every problem has a solution, he has gone on record time and again in the past couple of days stating that a split should be avoided.

With panchayat elections round the corner, Mr. Antony's contention is that the workers would get demoralised in the eventuality of a split. He had a long meeting with the Congress Working Committee permanent invitee, Ramesh Chennithala.

Though in agreement with Mr. Antony's line that no one should be thrown out of the party, Mr. Chennithala said the `gun-point politics' of the Karunakaran faction could not be condoned either.

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