Even as son and NCP state president K Muralidharan went live on TV calling him a betrayer and declaring that he would no longer continue even their son-father relationship, K Karunakaran formally returned to the Congress at a unity conference held at the Marine Drive Ground here on Friday.“He is the one who has betrayed the trust of his followers when they needed him most, hoping to garner important positions. A man who cannot be trusted to keep his principles cannot be trusted for continuing a personal relationship with. From today, he and I will have no relations, as politicians, and as son and father,” Muraleedharan declared, a couple of hours before the Congress show.Karunakaran, who had riled at the Congress, even declared that it was a dead outfit and gone on to call Sonia Gandhi a madaamma (white woman) at that very venue two-and-a-half-years ago, declared he was going back to the party led by “our Soniaji and Rahul, and our Priyanka whom I dearly love,” because his followers wanted him to. His camp followers who left the NCP with him to get into the Congress were admitted with a single line resolution read out at the event, which said they were all keen to be in the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi.Opposition leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy, who had led the anti-Karunakaran sections in the Congress and had refused to endorse his attempts to come back until the AICC ruled he should be taken back, said Karunakaran’s return would greatly strengthen the Congress to take on the challenges ahead.KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala, who was also being accused of trying to stall his return, lauded Karunakaran and appealed to partymen to shed all factionism and group rivalries. AICC secretary Mohsina Kidwai, who holds the Kerala unit’s charge, said in her address that Karunakaran’s return would give a new strength to the party.
