Karunakaran cheated NCP workers: Muraleedharan

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 1 (UNI) Coming down heavily on NCP leader K Karunakaran's proposed return to the Congress, party state President and his son K Muraleedharan today said ''the veteran leader has cheated the party workers, who always stood with him during crisis''.

Talking to newspersons after a hurriedly convened party executive meeting here, he said '' Mr Karunakaran has cheated the NCP workers by abandoning them in the middle of sea after three years.'' However, Mr Muralidharan made it clear that he was not for any criticism against him as he was a senior leader.

Stating that there was no change in the situation, which had led to the formation of Democratic Indira Congress (Karnakranan) three years ago and later merging with the NCP, he said Mr Karunakaran should clarify why he was planning to return to the Congress as the earlier situation, for which he had quit, was still prevailing.

Stating that he would not go with his father, Mr Muraleedharan said whatever difficulties he had to face, he would remain with the NCP and work for strengthening it.

Admitting that switching over from one party to another would affect credibility of a person, he said he would not repeat it and his aim was to build the credibility of the NCP.

He said the state unit would recommend the central leadership to remove five general secretaries--Mr Peethambara Kurup, Ms M T Padma, Mr N Venugopal, Mr Josy Sebastian and Mr M V Mani--who attended the meeting called by Mr Karunakaran from the party.

He said it had already recommended removal of Thrissur district president T V Chandramohan and Ernakulam district president Varghese Mathew from the post because of the same reason.

UNI