Cong taking time, Karunakaran his chances

Old warhorse K. Karunakaran, who is fighting an unrelenting battle against Kerala Chief Minister A.K.Antony, is believed to have mooted a co...

Old warhorse K. Karunakaran, who is fighting an unrelenting battle against Kerala Chief Minister A.K.Antony, is believed to have mooted a compromise formula of rotational chief ministership in Kerala. He has suggested that he be made the chief minister for the next year and a half and Antony could rule for the last year of the remaining term.

It is not known what the party high command has to say about the idea but Kerala Congress leaders have taken a dim view of it. A senior AICC leader reacted angrily by asking: ‘‘Does he think Kerala is a banana state?’’

	Rs 1 cr for each MLA: Speaker

			KOTTAYAM: Kerala Speaker Vakkom Purushothaman on Thursday claimed that more than Rs 1 crore is being offered to each MLA in the state now to purchase them for political games. Vakkom said Kerala has become a fertile land for all misdeeds. ‘‘You know the political situation in the State now’’, he said, ‘‘ attempts are going on to buy MLAs by offering more than Rs 1 crore each. (ENS)

Earlier, the former chief minister had set Id as the deadline for the party to remove Antony but he suffered a setback yesterday with two of his minister-supporters issuing statements that they were not with him.

Story continues below this ad

The high command’s inability to take action against Karunakaran despite his repeated defiance has affected its prestige and may trigger a similar show of revolt in other states.

There is also growing pressure on Sonia Gandhi to take action against KPCC chief Muraleedharan and she may not be left with any other option but to give him the marching orders. ‘‘There is virtually no PCC chief in Kerala today and the high command’s first priority is to have a president who goes by the AICC advice,’’ said a party leader.

Sacking Muraleedharan would, however, widen the chasm between the two groups and make the situation irretrievable. Muraleedharan, who is Karunakaran’s son, is working in tandem with his father and party leaders say the PCC office is being used not to build up the Congress but to demolish it. It is an open secret that Muraleedharan is working for the defeat of the official Congress nominee in the forthcoming bypoll in Thiruvella and is helping the LDF nominee.

Sonia, it seems, was in favour of removing Muraleedharan in April this year after dissident activity in the Rajya Sabha elections, but it was Antony who opposed the move. ‘‘He had hoped to placate Karunakaran but that didn’t work,’’ said a senior leader. ‘‘That was Antony’s biggest mistake.’’

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Vayalar Ravi has hinted at the possibility of the high command toughening its stand. He told The Indian Express: ‘‘Discipline is a must and it can bring Congressmen together.’’

There is a view here that the number of MLAs who are with Karunakaran will go down from 21 to 16 if action is taken against Muraleedharan. Some legislators who are with him today are afraid to switch sides lest the high command goes in for a compromise which would make their position untenable.

A change of guard in Kerala is not being ruled out for Antony appears to have lost the confidence of the minorities and this is bothering not just partymen but also some of the UDF allies. But the party MLAs will not support Karunakaran in the saddle.

Last time when Karunakaran was forced to quit following a spy scandal, he still had 18 months of his term to complete. He seems to be hung up on those 18 months, say sources, and that is why his compromise formula talks about allowing him to lead the state again, even if it is for one and a half years.