Cong begins talks with Karunakaran's party

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15 (UNI) The Congress today formally initiated talks with veteran leader K Karunakaran's Democratic Indira Congress (K) to bring it back to the United Democratic Front (UDF) ahead of the next month's Assembly polls.

Congress Working Committee member Veerappa Moily, after holding several rounds of discussions with party leaders in the state and also coalition partners, met the veteran leader's son and DIC(K) president K Muraleedharan.

Both the leaders expressed satisfaction over the first round of discussions.

''We belong to the same family,'' they said.

Mr Muraleedharan said the DIC(K) was happy with the progress of the talks initiated at the behest of the leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League and other coalition partners. ''But further details can only be revealed only later,'' he added.

Mr Moily is scheduled to meet his old friend Mr Karunakaran when he returns here this evening from the temple town of Guruvayoor.

It was for the first time that the Congress is holding talks with Mr Karunakaran, who quit the party to form the DIC(K) in May last year. The initiative came after the CPI(M) closed its door on Mr Karunakaran after accepting DIC(K) support in the local bodies and Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha byelections.

Sources said several issues like the number of seats to be allotted to the DIC(K) and the possibility of merging it with the Congress would have to be sorted out.

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