Congress High Command clears Karunakaran re-entry

New Delhi, Dec 6 (UNI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi has almost cleared the re-admission of former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran into the party with which the 91-year-old veteran had seven decades of association till he floated his own political outfit 30 months ago.

However, a formal announcement from Ms Gandhi is, expected only after her meeting with Mr Karunakaran which is likely to take place after the Gujarat poll campaign.

Ms Gandhi today held discussions with Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy and Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Ramesh Chennithala over the veteran leader's re-entry in the context of his letter to her pledging his loyalty to the party and acknowledging her leadership.

Though Mr Karunakaran had been expressing his desire to return to the party through the media during the past two months, he had given a formal letter only a few days ago, paving the way for the Party High Command to consider the issue.

AICC sources today said Mr Karunakaran's re-entry had become certain. "Only thing is that the High Command will have to work out the modalities of his return," the sources said.

Mr Chandy and Mr Chennithala indicated, in separate interaction with mediapersons, that the High Command had almost cleared the proposal to re-admit Mr Karunakaran, who joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) along with his son and former KPCC President K Muraleedharan after merging his party Democratic Indira Congress, which he floated on May 1, 2005 upon leaving the Congress Party.

Asked if Mr Muraleedharan would also be re-admitted to the party, they said that he himself had already made it clear that he would not leave the NCP, of which he is at present President of the Kerala unit.

"Mr Muraleedharan had gone public stating that he differed with his father on returning to the Congress," Mr Chennithala said.

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