The Hindu : Kerala News : NC(I) decision on bypolls on May 11

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Friday, May 06, 2005

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Kerala

NC(I) decision on bypolls on May 11

Special Correspondent

Party to hold Youth Congress rally in Kollam on August 9

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Congress (Indira) president, K. Muraleedharan, has said that the party would decide the stand to be taken in the Azhikode and Koothuparamba by-elections at the party executive committee meeting on May 11.

Participating in a `meet-the-press' programme organised by the Press Club here on Thursday, Mr. Muraleedharan said he would visit Kannur on Sunday to elicit the views of party workers on whether or not to field candidates in the by-elections and place his findings before the party executive committee for a decision.

Membership campaign

Mr. Muraleedharan, who announced the names of persons nominated as office-bearers of the party, said the ad hoc committee would oversee the membership enrolment campaign and organisational elections proposed to be completed by October.

The party would also organise a rally by one lakh Youth Congress workers in Kollam on August 9 and launch agitations against the `anti-people' policies of the Oommen Chandy Government, he added.

No alliance with NDA

Mr. Muraleedharan said his party would not ally with the NDA, but made it clear that it would not treat the Left parties as untouchables. He also asserted that the official Congress would not even become the leading Opposition party in the State after the next Assembly election.

He accused his former party colleagues of trying to take over party offices now in the control of NC(I) using the police machinery. The NC(I) had no plans to take over party offices under the control of the Congress, but would not remain passive if the Congress tried to forcibly take over party offices held by it, he said.

Asked why his sister, Padmaja Venugopal, was not present when the new party was formed, Mr. Muraleedharan shot back, "At least now nobody will be able to say that ours is a party seeking to perpetuate family rule".

His information was that she was abroad. He could not, therefore, say anything more on what her stand towards the new party was, Mr. Muraleedharan said.

The NC(I) president claimed that 10 MLAs were fully in agreement with the formation of the new party, but could not openly associate with the new outfit as they would then cease to be MLAs.

On the defection of many to the official group, he said they would have done so only on account of the money they received. Crores of rupees had changed hands in connection with the defections, he alleged.

Mr. Muraleedharan said the SSLC question paper leak was the handiwork of a mafia and that the Smart City Project was nothing but ploy by benamis of interests within and outside the country. Dubai Internet City was not something connected with the UAE Government as many believed, but a private company. They were being offered land at cheap rates in return for the promise of generating 33,000 job opportunities. But what the State would finally end up with are undemocratic labour practices, he said.

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