The Hindu : Kerala News : `Let Murali and Karunakaran settle their differences'

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Sunday, Apr 01, 2007
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`Let Murali and Karunakaran settle their differences'

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy on Saturday made it evident that he was opposed to the return of the Nationalist Congress leader K. Karunakaran and his men to the Congress.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Chandy said the Congress party was now in a special mood with the workers aiming to rebuild the party and move forward united. "Let Mr. Karunakaran and Mr. Muraleedharan settle their differences about rejoining the party, then we will examine the matter," he said.

Asked whether Mr. Karunakaran had a political space in the Congress, Mr. Chandy said the space was not as important an issue as Mr. Karunakaran's approach. The party went through an excruciating period because of torrid factional politics. The Congress has a culture and a style of functioning. This cannot be jettisoned, he said.

When asked whether the State leadership was opposed to his return, Mr. Chandy said Mr. Karunakaran was a national leader of the NCP and the Congress party's State leadership had hardly any role. Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, while addressing a press conference, said it was for Mr. Karunakaran and the NCP, to take a decision on rejoining the Congress. "I am not sure about the NCP leader Sharad Pawar's stand," he said.

Mr. Ravi said to the best of his knowledge, the Congress party had not entrusted anyone to hold dialogues on this. In reply to a question, he said only time would be able to say whether Mr. Karunakaran's return would be good for the party.

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