Karunakaran firm on KPCC(I) polls

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 14. The senior Congress(I) leader, Mr. K .Karunakaran, today dropped enough indications that it was too early to write him off politically, by asserting that he would continue to play an active role by expressing his opinions on party affairs, pointing out lapses and correcting mistakes.

He made a formal demand for party elections, which would elect the KPCC(I) president, and opposed the idea of nominations.

At a press conference at his residence, Mr. Karunakaran asserted that he would continue to play an active role even though his health problems had been attributed to a virtual retirement.

``I will continue to express my opinion on various issues, point out lapses and correct mistakes and hold dialogues with those concerned with regard to the strategy to win elections. I would intervene when attempts are made to weaken the party. On no account will I permit attempts to create a division or a split in the party. Moreover, I am not prepared to weaken the party for personal gains and would continue to play my role to strengthen it,'' he said referring to reports attributing motives to his moves.

Pointing out that one person has been the point of debate in recent times, Mr. Karunakaran said he had never till date campaigned for his son, Mr. K. Muraleedharan's candidature as KPCC(I) president.

``The process of organisational elections is on. Let the KPCC(I) president be elected. The practice of nominating persons through fiats was not correct. Why should any one fear elections?,'' Mr. Karunakaran asked.

In reply to a question, the leader said he would not nominate anyone as KPCC(I) president.

Neither would he ask someone to keep away from contesting the elections. But he could not countenance the proposal to conduct the organisational elections after the Assembly polls as it was only a ploy to avoid the elections. Settling organisational issues was put off in view of the panchayat elections.

Now, Assembly elections are being cited as a reason. At this rate, the organisational elections cannot be held at all. One cannot be blamed if motives were to be attributed to the repeated attempts to change the dates of elections, he remarked and added that trouble in the party started because of attempts to weaken it.

He would continue to fight for the Congress(I)'s interest till the last and will not sit idle, he added.

In reply to another question, Mr. Karunakaran said he was not opposed to a consensus. If all sections could agree on a candidate, an election was only a formality. Asked whether he would advise his son to keep away from the fray, Mr. Karunakaran said Mr. Muraleedharan was a Congressman and that it was the right of every Congressman to contest the elections.

He had enough of recommending measures to settle problems and had earned rewards for this, the leader added.

Mr. Karunakaran ruled out the question of settling party problems as a package by revamping the KPCC(I) and feeder organisations. The KPCC(I) elections were being held as part of the all-India poll in the party.

The UDF victory in the panchayat elections was unexpected. The Opposition could have done better had the anti-Government feelings been capitalised.

Mr. Karunakaran said he was not sad at the court conviction of the former Prime Minister, Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao. Even though he might have his own personal opinion on the matter, it was for the courts to decide whether Mr. Rao had committed any crime.

It was a different matter that Mr. Rao engineered defection in order to ensure that the Congress(I) remained in power. It would not affect the image of the Congress(I). He said he had been invited to New Delhi by the party president, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, for discussions on October 18.

Mr. Karunakaran appeared to have overcome his hospital blues, replying to questions with his customary alacrity and sharing a few humorous points with journalists.

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