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Muraleedharan not to contest

Special Correspondent

In protest against electoral tie-up struck with the Congress

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) president K. Muraleedharan has decided to opt out of the fray for the Assembly election. The decision has been taken in view of the widespread protest against electoral adjustments struck with the Congress.

Mr. Muraleedharan, when contacted, said that he was reluctant to contest in the light of the widespread reservations expressed by party workers. The seat adjustments have led to bitterness in both the DIC(K) and the Congress, though it was slightly more visible in the former.

Leaders of the DIC(K) indicated that the party had lost out in the number game as it did not work out a valid tactical line to be adopted in terms of the number and winnability of seats before opening negotiations with the Congress. The party also failed to put forward the demand for at least one seat in each district and additional seats in districts where it had a strong base. Even while demanding 25 seats, the DIC(K) also did not discuss at length the need to accommodate candidates from all communities by getting additional seats, party sources said.

Some of the leaders were inclined to put the blame on T.M. Jacob, who, they alleged, had succeeded in securing the four seats his erstwhile Kerala Congress (Jacob) had contested in 2001. Without adequate number of seats, the DIC(K) is now not in a position to follow Mr. Karunakaran's practice of accommodating all sections, they said.

The feeling of bitterness appears to be running quite deep with party leaders now questioning the rationale of forming a separate party and the resignation of the nine MLAs. The terms of the agreement can only be considered a humiliation of sorts for a senior leader like Mr. Karunakaran, who has now lost the Chalakudy and Mala seats, both of which were traditionally with his group when he was in the Congress. Mr. Kodoth Govindan Nair, Karunakaran's first rebel, has expressed his discontent at the decision.

The Congress would also have to contend with some bitterness at the seat adjustments with the DIC(K). The split in the party had opened up several opportunities for middle level leaders.

They feel that the seat adjustments, which would not fetch any material gains for the UDF, had deprived the Congress of fielding fresh faces. The Congress leadership is much relieved because under the 18-seat electoral adjustment with the

DIC(K), it could now fulfil its promise given to all the MLAs who preferred to stay with the parent party.

M.A. John to float new forum

Special Correspondent in Kochi writes:

M.A. John, former senior vice-president, who was recently expelled from the party, has said the DIC(K)-UDF "opportunistic alliance" will hasten the collapse of the UDF.

Mr. John said that his statement that the DIC(K) leadership's declarations at the March 20 Kochi convention were to hoodwink the followers had proven right. The party activists had at the Kochi convention wanted no alliance with the UDF. Now the leadership had gone to the UDF by surrendering the party's prestige, he said.

Mr. John said that a forum rallying the DIC(K) activists who oppose the alliance with the UDF would be floated soon. In a press note on Friday, he indicated that "anti-UDF leaders having people's support" would contest the elections.

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