Antony likely to be CLP leader

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY. 14. The AICC observers, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mr. Motilal Vora, arrived here today with the specific mission of ensuring a smooth election of the Congress Legislature Party leader, who would naturally become the Chief Minister candidate.

The CLP meeting is likely to be held on Wednesday as soon as the two senior leaders, Mr. K. Karunakaran and Mr. A.K. Antony, return here. Mr. Karunakaran has left for Guruvayoor, while Mr. Antony spent the day in Cherthala to thank the electorate.

The AICC observers would hold separate meetings with the MLAs tomorrow, though this exercise appears to be a mere formality.

An important issue which will figure in the meeting is the question of a new KPCC president. Mr. Karunakaran and Mr. Antony had agreed to a ceasefire on the basis of the agreement that the party would not project anyone as chief minister. They had agreed to leave it to the party president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, to take a decision on both the posts. The high command had agreed that the two posts would not go to one group.

Mr. Karunakaran has already opted out of the race for the chief minister's post. Therefore, the choice is a foregone conclusion - Mr. Antony. But Mr. Karunakaran has demanded an announcement of the nominee for the PCC chief post, along with the CLP leader's selection. He has been clamouring for the post for his son, Mr. K. Muralidharan.

The other anti-Karunakaran groups are still finding it hard to digest the fact that they would have to accept Mr. Muralidharan as the PCC president.

Mr. Azad, AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, told The Hindu that the high command would stick to its oft-repeated promise that the two primary posts would not go to one side. He said Mr. Karunakaran and Mr. Antony themselves had come to an agreement and advised the party leadership accordingly that no one should be projected as chief minister and that the Ms. Gandhi would take a decision on the two posts after the elections.

According to indications, the new UDF Government would assume office by May 21.

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