12 DIC (K) leaders quit, return to Cong

Kozhikode, Aug 2 (UNI) The Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) today suffered yet another blow with 13 of its leaders and their followers quitting the party and rejoining the Congress in protest against the ''dictatorial'' style of functiong of party chief K Muraleedharan.

DIC (K) District Working Committee Member K P Kuttikrishan and four others told a news conference that DIC (K) activists in the entire village of Olavanna also decided to return to the parent organisation headed by Party Chief Sonia Gandhi.

They said the decision to switch sides was taken in protest against the ''anti-democratic and dictatorial style'' of functioning of Mr Muraleedharan, who was ''only protecting his own interest.'' DIC leaders T N Chandran, M M Mohanan, Adv Sunish Mamiyil, M Radhakrishnan, P Kuttikrishnan Nair, M M Purushothaman, K P Musthafa, Kandiyil Babu, K P Ashraf, Kathanatt Babu, E P Venu and C K Iqbal also resigned, they said.

The party, floated by veteran leaer K Karunakaran, had suffered its worst ever electoral debacle with almost all top leaders, inclduing Mr Muraleedharan, failing to make it to the Assembly in the May elections.

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