High command flayed for 'slighting' leader

By K. Venkiteswaran

KOCHI, AUG. 26. A meeting of the supporters of the senior Congress(I) leader, Mr. K. Karunakaran, here today passed a resolution condemning the ``slighting'' of the Kerala supremo by the high command when he was summoned by the party president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, to New Delhi recently.

The meeting was attended by almost all known supporters of Mr. Karunakaran including eight DCC(I) presidents. Though there was no thinking about forming a parallel youth organisation, the meeting took stock of the `changed scenario', following what it termed as showing disrespect to a leader who had been in the party since Jawaharlal Nehru's time.

A review meeting of KSU(I) and Youth Congress(I) workers who are favourably disposed towards the senior leader, also was held.

The meeting was told that the question of the senior leader leaving the party had never arisen and such speculation was dismissed as a ``creation of the media''. As regards the local bodies poll, it was decided not to help the LDF in anyway and to strengthen the unity in the party by working for the success of the Congress(I) and UDF candidates.

The much-touted meeting ended in a whimper as the `hero' himself was physically not present and the mantle was taken up Mr. K. Muraleedharan, MP.

At the hotel on the National Highway Bypass here, the media was barred and there were rumours that the venue would be shifted to avoid the glaring television cameras. However the DCC(I) president, Prof. K. V. Thomas, later briefed the press about the day's developments.

Mr. Karunakaran, who was tired, could not attend the meeting. Even earlier in the day, when he came to a meeting of the Mahila Congress, he had to struggle hard to climb the steps. Mr. Karunakaran, who was expected to ``hit out against the high command'', ended his speech in a few minutes.

There were enough indications that Mr. Karunakaran would soften his stance since apprehensions had already been raised by some of his close followers about the timing of his `breakaway strategy'. The idea seemed to be to lie low for the present and take the battle to its natural denouement after the local bodies elections.

Sources said the Indian Union Muslim League supremo, Mr. Panakkad Mohammedali Shihab Thangal, and the Kerala Congress(M) leader, Mr. K. M. Mani, got in touch with Mr. Karunakaran today and discussed the fallout of any drastic action on his part on the prospects of the Opposition front at the hustings.

There were already reports that the Muslim League would not be averse to some `local level understanding with the LDF' in the local bodies poll, especially in the erstwhile Malabar region, and the other constituents of the UDF barring the Muslim League were naturally apprehensive of any precipitative action by the Karunakaran supporters.

There were a number of compromise formulae being trotted out as a ``face saving'' exercise. One suggestion mooted by the Antony followers was that Mr. Karunakaran's daughter Ms. Padmaja could be accommodated in the Ministry if the UDF came to power after the Assembly elections. This was outrightly rejected by Mr. Karunakaran, who said his daughter was not interested in any ministerial posts.

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Section  : Southern States
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