The Hindu : Kerala News : Antony still hopeful of sorting out problems

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Friday, Apr 15, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Antony still hopeful of sorting out problems

Special Correspondent

Suggests ways to end impasse

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress Working Committee member, A. K. Antony, is still hopeful of coming up with a clincher that will prevent the inevitable split in the party.

He believes there is still time to sort out problems in the Congress in Kerala provided all the feuding factions showed the will to do so.

Mr. Antony, who returned home from New Delhi, opened up a bit on the political developments with his three-point prescription - that the high command did not have a prejudiced view about Kerala affairs, a split would only help the CPI (M), the two warring groups should shun extreme positions.

"All party leaders should come forward to accept whatever decision the high command were to take. No one should quit the party whatever the provocation, while no one should create a provocation for a split," the former Chief Minister told mediapersons at the airport on Thursday.

Discomfiture

Mr. Antony also sought to play up the traditional Congress dislike for the Marxists by pointing out to the CPI (M) general secretary, Prakash Karat's statement that the growing faction feud in the Congress posed an historic opportunity for his party.

"Mr. Karat's statement indicates that the CPI (M)'s primary aim was to destroy the Congress. Quitting the party is dangerous," he said.

Mr. Antony could, however, not conceal his discomfiture with the extreme positions being taken by the rival factions, which have been pushing the situation towards the cliff.

Asked whether he would attend the regional rallies, Mr. Antony said he had not made up his mind about it. But he would very much like to attend the KPCC organised event commemorating the Salt march taken by Kelappaji.

In his "mediatory" efforts, Mr. Antony has been careful not to take a stand that would in any manner strengthen his decades-old rival, K. Karunakaran, and his son, K. Muraleedharan.

Comes out clear

By commenting that Mr. Muraleedharan's recalcitrance had invited the high command action, Mr. Antony cleared any doubts about his role.

He has been reluctant to come up with a formula of settlement, though he has repeatedly cautioned the Congress leaders against a split.

His statements against the CPI (M), according to party sources, were directed at the Karunakaran faction, known for its rather strong anti-Marxist predisposition.

Sources close to Mr. Muraleedharan said that Mr. Antony's "mediatory" efforts were intended to create confusion in the Karunakaran camp.

Provocative nature

At the same time, the KPCC's regional rallies' provocative nature makes it politically inconvenient for Mr. Antony to associate himself with it though it has been given an official colour.

Wednesday's southern regional rally was admittedly anti-Karunakaran in its intentions, but at the same time, the leaders of the official group under the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, subtly rejected Mr. Antony's consensus attempt. Given this context, Mr. Antony, according to some of his close supporters, would have no options but to stay away from the two remaining KPCC rallies on April 16 in Kochi and April 19 in Kozhikode.

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