Cong-DIC(K) understanding to strengthen democratic forces

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 1 (UNI) Congress in Kerela today entered into an electoral understanding with veteran leader K Karunakaran's Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) for strengthening the democratic forces, PCC President Ramesh Chennithala said.

Participating in 'meet the press progress' organised by Kesari Memorial Journalists Trust here, he alleged that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was following ''anti-democratic'' policies.

This was not a temporary adjustment but was aimed at defeating the "anti-democratic" policies followed by the CPI(M), he added.

The decision to forge a Democratic front was taken after a study was conducted amid the recent civic polls and the Thiruvananthapuram by-election. The study had focussed on bringing together those who stood for democratic values, Mr Chennaithala added.

''We wanted to avoid cracks in the forces that stand for upholding democracy,'' he said.

When asked if it was not a decision taken after the LDF severed its ties with the DIC(K), he said ''in politics opportunities are most important.'' On Mr Karunakaran's comments that there was not an iota of truth in Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's statement that the post-election merger was part of the Congress-DIC(K) understanding, Mr Chennithala said those were only personal comments and the need of the hour was to have a continuity for the UDF government to go ahead with the development programmes. ''There were also different opinions regarding the understanding with the DIC(K) but after the party took a decision, every one had accepted it,''he said.

Alleging that Opposition leader and CPI(M) politburo member V S Achutanandan was having an anti-development attitude, he said Mr Achutanandan's development approach was lagging 15 years behind the recent times. ''The world is changing. India is changing and Kerala has to change. We would not be able to bring in developments in the state with old ideas,'' he said.

The government had held talks with the TN government various times and had also passed a resolution for his release, he added.

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