Sonia resolves Karunakaran crisis

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today bought peace with senior party leader K. Karunakaran, who had earlier demanded the resignation of Kera...

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today bought peace with senior party leader K. Karunakaran, who had earlier demanded the resignation of Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony for his anti-minority remarks.

While the party high command stressed there was 8216;8216;no question of state leadership change,8217;8217; Karunakaran refused to comment on whether or not the leadership needed to be changed. At the hour-long meeting with Sonia, party sources said Karunakaran reiterated that the image of the party suffered because of Antony8217;s statement on July 9.

Speaking after the meeting, Karunakaran demanded that Antony must 8216;8216;withdraw the statement8217;8217;. While he refrained from repeating the demand for Antony8217;s exit, it is learnt the AICC would give an assurance to Karunakaran loyalists that no disciplinary action would be taken against them.

Earlier the high command had threatened to expel five Karunakaran loyalists. Following the threat, the Appropriation Bill was passed on Monday. Another crucial voting on the Finance Bill is slated for tomorrow, which Karunakaran said his faction of 21 MLAs would support. It would take 21 MLAs to split the 62 member Congress Legislative Party in Kerala.

Emerging from today8217;s meeting, AICC Kerala in-charge Ahmed Patel said: 8216;8216;The crisis was over long time ago. We were contemplating action but the chapter is now closed.8217;8217;

Saying he was 8216;8216;satisfied8217;8217; with the meeting, Patel said there were 8216;8216;certain grievances8217;8217; that will be sorted out soon. Karunakaran said: 8216;8216;We are trying to solve the problem without surgery and by using drugs.8217;8217; Ironically, these were the very same words used by Antony seeking leniency for Karunakaran loyalists who had defied the party whip during the crisis of the Rajya Sabha elections and voted for a rebel candidate.

On the possibility of a split in the party, Karunakaran said: 8216;8216;I rule out any such thing on my account because I have been a chief minister for four times. I will not split the party for getting to any position.8217;8217;

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8216;8216;I will never split the party for my sake,8217;8217; he added. After the meeting with Sonia, Patel and senior party leader R.K. Dhawan, an old associate of Karunakaran, joined him at his residence for discussions.