Cong-DIC(K) merger unlikely

Thiruvananthapuram, May 26 : Chances of the Democratic Indira Congress (Kaunakaran)'s merger with the Congress appears to be remote with the United Democratic Front (UDF) firmly saying that it has committed a mistake in the Assembly elections by forming an alliance with the DIC(K).

Addressing reporters here, UDF convener P P Thankachan said the Assembly results only showed that the alliance with the DIC (K) was a failure and had not helped the Front as well as the DIC(K).

Asked if there was any possibility of a merger, he said any decision would be taken only after detailed discussions. ''Even when an alliance was formed with that party, there were some protests.

But the decision to have an alliance was taken after majority of the UDF partners supported it,'' he said after the UDF meeting.

The meeting mainly focussed on the UDF's debacle in the elections, he said and added that in its evaluation there was no anti-incumbency factor but only an anti-UDF wave. The communities, especially some Muslims and the Christians, which were with the UDF earlier had this time supported the Left Democratic Front, he added.

The LDF's victory could not be seen as a political victory. They had won only for playing ''communal card,'' Mr Thankachan alleged.

In Muslim dominated areas, the LDF, which had the support of the People's Democratic Party and the Jamaat-e-Islamia, tried to propagate false information about the Centre's stand on Iran and also the Maudhani issue.

He said the LDF had unleashed a false campaign saying that the Christian communities were not given proper priority while among the Hindus, it was said that the Muslims had benefited more during the UDF rule. ''All these false propaganda has helped the LDF to victory,'' he added.

Pointing out that the people were still with the UDF, he said the the LDF had only gained five per cent more votes than the UDF in the Assembly elections. While the UDF garnered 43.2 per cent votes, the LDF got 48.79 per cent, he said.

Noting that it was not the time to evaluate the LDF government, Mr Thankachan said the beginning itself had proved that the government was a failure.

In the LDF, even from day one problems started to crop up, he said and added that it was clearly evident in the portfolio allocation.

UNI