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`MLAs have right to demand reshuffle'

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Sept. 20. The senior Congress leader, K Karunakaran, said here today that party MLAs had the right to demand a Cabinet reshuffle even though the final word on the matter rested with the Chief Minister.

Addressing a press conference, he said it was the duty of the MLAs to inform the Chief Minister the prevalent popular pulse. The Chief Minister was duty bound to pay heed to the demand. He has to decide whether the Cabinet shake-up is necessary and take decisions accordingly in consultation with the party high command.

In reply to a question on refurbishing the image of the Government, Mr Karunakaran said he was confident that the party MLAs would take timely action at the appropriate time and that the UDF partners and party workers would function according to this. He said he did not feel there was the need to change his opinion about the functioning of the Government. In reply to a question on the KPCC president's view that the Government's performance was good, Mr Karunakaran said that the KPCC president could take only such a position.

Referring to Ambika Soni's opinion that he should concentrate more on national politics, Mr Karunakaran said Ms Soni had only expressed her wish and, therefore, he did not want to react to it. He would continue to bestow attention to national politics as he was doing now.

He pooh-poohed Mr Muraleedharan's comments on faction meetings, by pointing out that all the factions in the party were holding meetings. ``Mr Antony and I have held many group meetings. And if necessary, both of us would not hesitate to hold such meetings again,'' he added.

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