DIC(K) struggles for foothold in Kerala politics

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 14 (UNI) As the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran)'s merger move with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) gains momentum, the party is seeing several of its top rung leaders of the party resigning in protest against the move.

In a bid to strengthen the weakened base of the party, the DIC(K) leadership of veteran K Karunakaran and his son K Muraleedharan, ignoring rebellion within the party, held talks with Union Agriculture Minister and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar regarding the merger at Kozhikode.

After the talks, Mr Pawar said a final decision would be taken only after detailed deliberations at the party's national executive scheduled to meet at Dehradun on September 17 and 18.

He said though the NCP, a partner in the United Progressive Alliance at the Centre and the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala, would have to consult the coalition partners before a formal merger, there was every possibility of the union.

However, Mr Karunakaran is in trouble with most of his long-time camp followers quitting the party and expressing willingness to return to the parent Congress party.

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