Southern States - Kerala   

Karunakaran invited to CWC meet

By Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI DEC. 6. Amid speculation of a possible split in the Congress in Kerala if the party Central leadership decides to rein in the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, K. Muraleedharan, his father and senior leader, K. Karunakaran, has been invited by the leadership to attend Sunday's Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here.

The past 24 hours saw the Central leadership make two overtures to the senior leader — a permanent invitee to the CWC — who has time and again complained about his being slighted by the leadership. Late last night, the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, telephoned him, and today the AICC general secretary in-charge of organisational matters, Oscar Fernandes, called him to invite him to the CWC meeting. Health permitting, Mr. Karunakaran will in all likelihood put in an appearance — if not attend — at the meeting.

The day also saw the convener of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Antony loyalist, Oommen Chandy, visit Mr. Karunakaran at the hospital. In fact, the octogenarian leader had a steady stream of visitors from all factions in the Kerala unit of the Congress besides the general secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League, E. Ahmad, who is said to have spent a considerable amount of time with him.

Meanwhile, for the second time in three days, the Kerala Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, met the three senior Congressmen entrusted with the task of addressing the crisis - Pranab Mukherjee, R. K. Dhawan and Ahmed Patel - this morning. In the evening, Mr. Muraleedharan met the troika for the second time in 24 hours, and later met Ms. Gandhi. He is understood to have reiterated his stance that he would step down from KPCC presidentship if Mr. Antony gave up the office of Chief Minister.

Reacting to the Karunakaran faction's demand for a leadership change in Government, Mr. Chandy - who met Ms. Gandhi this morning - said: ``No one is against a leadership change, provided it is brought about in a democratic manner. Why should a leader who enjoys two-thirds majority in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) be removed?''

Asked why the Antony group was shying away from calling a CLP meeting to test who had the majority, his answer was: ``The matter is with the high command. If the Central leadership decides we should go for a test of strength, we have no problem calling a CLP meeting.''

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