Kerala - Kochi   

‘High command to decide on Karunakaran’s return’

— Photo: Vipinchandran

Warm welcome: AICC general secretary Mohsina Kidwai arriving to inaugurate a Congress function in Kochi on Friday.

KOCHI: Veteran leader K. Karunakaran’s return to the Congress would be decided by the party high command, said Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala here on Saturday. Mr. Chennithala said Congress workers would wholeheartedly welcome the decision taken by the high command.

Addressing the valedictory function of a two-day leadership camp organised by the District Congress Committee, he said anyone who accepted the leadership of party president Sonia Gandhi could return to the party. He said the party had a tradition of accepting all those who accepted the Central leadership. He reminded that sections of the workers in the State who had left the party were accommodated in the same positions when they returned.

He said the 16-month-old governance by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) had made the State a “graveyard.” There was no development, but widespread unemployment, while agriculture and economic growth were on the downhill, he said. He also criticised the alleged highhandedness of the police force.

He said for 30-odd years the party was in the grip of party politics. In the last two years, the party had proved that it was possible to function without factions, he said. “However, it was not possible to eradicate the problems inflicted by 30 years of group politics in two years,” he said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the party central leadership would decide about the return of K. Karunakaran to the party, said Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs.

Talking to reporters, on the sidelines of a two-day leadership camp organised by the District Congress Committee, Mr. Ravi said he would convey his opinion on the issue to Ms. Gandhi.

Staff Reporter writes from Kollam: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy said here on Saturday that the desire expressed by K. Karunakaran to return to the Congress had not triggered any controversy within the Kerela Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

Talking to reporters, he said Mr. Karunakaran’s return was an issue that had to be decided by the Congress high command.

Mr. Chandy said vested interests were trying to create a division in the KPCC over the issue.

Mohsina Kidwai, AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, on Saturday said that her visit to the State was not for discussing or deciding any particular issue.

Ms. Kidwai was responding to the queries of mediapersons regarding the return of veteran leader K. Karunakaran to the Congress at the airport here.

Ms. Kidwai was certainly not comfortable with the barrage of questions on the issue as she parried one question after another.

However, mediapersons persisted with the topic and asked her whether she would visit Mr. Karunakaran and make a statement on the issue. She responded by asking whether there was nothing else they wanted to know apart from the return of Mr. Karunakaran.

She, however, hinted that she would try to gauge the feeling of party workers and KPCC leaders on the issue during her stay in the State.

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