Kerala   

Karunakaran to meet Sonia on Sunday

Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran finally got his long-awaited call from Delhi on Thursday morning that will prepare for his formal re-entry into his parent organisation. However, his son and Nationalists Congress Party State president K. Muraleedharan reacted by stating that the Congress leadership did not show the kind of grace it had shown to the Karnataka Janata Dal leader M.P. Prakash.

Mr. Karunakaran, while speaking to mediapersons after a function here, disclosed that AICC general secretary Mohsina Kidwai, who is in charge of Kerala, called him on Thursday morning requesting him to be in Delhi on Sunday for a possible meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He is likely to leave for Delhi on Saturday.

Asked for his reaction to the news that he had been invited to Delhi, Mr. Karunakaran said: “Most welcome and thanks to Sonia Gandhi.” He said he had not gone out of the Congress and was returning the way he had gone.

Asked whether a person like A.K. Antony had played a role in his return, Mr. Karunakaran said everyone had a role to play.

Mr. Muraleedharan, while reacting to the news at a press conference, said that the AICC had deputed Mr. Oscar Fernandez to invite Mr. Prakash. Mr. Karunakaran had announced his decision to join the Congress weeks ago. He was sure that the Congress did not have a leadership that would utilise the services of Mr. Karunakaran. Had it been so, he would not have to quit in the first place.

Mr. Muraleedharan made it clear that he had politically parted ways with Mr. Karunakaran. He felt that the issues that led to the split in the party still continued. As far as the NCP was concerned, the Congress was its main enemy in the State.

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