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Karunakaran keeps all guessing

By Girish Menon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM July 20 . The Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, is keeping the party leadership in Kerala, besides the MLAs owing allegiance to him, guessing about what he proposes to do when the Assembly takes up the debate and vote on the Appropriation Bill on Monday.

At the end of a rather extended meeting of his faction today, a spokesman said, "We have decided to take a hard position. The MLAs would be told what position they are to adopt only on Monday morning."

The faction met in two separate groups — MLAs, and the DCC presidents and KPCC office-bearers. At the meeting of the MLAs, the possibility of sitting in the Assembly as a `block' was discussed. Another option was to vote against the Government when the Bill was put to vote. If Mr. Karunakaran chooses either, he would have to get his two Ministerial nominees in the Antony Cabinet to quit.

A section of the MLAs, according to sources, was opposed to the idea of taking positions that would bring down the UDF Government. But Mr. Karunakaran reportedly asked them to give in writing that they were willing to sit as a group. MLAs owing allegiance to Mr. Antony grouped themselves soon after the news about Mr. Karunakaran's moves trickled in. They are now putting pressure on Mr. Anthony to demand the resignation of the two Ministers if Mr. Karunakaran asks his supporters to give in writing their willingness to sit as a block or in the event of the group deciding to vote against the Government.

At the end of the day, Mr. Karunakaran appeared unsure of the IUML's stand. He reportedly told the MLAs of his faction that it was not possible to remain a silent spectator to the "misdeeds" of the Government as Mr. Anthony had taken a position against the party's accepted line on minority issues.

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