DIC (K) rebel leaders to rejoin Congress

Kochi, Sep 20 (UNI) A state-level convention of the Shankaran-led rebel Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) leaders today decided to rejoin the Indian National Congress under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi.

Addressing newspersons here, former health minister P Shankaran said a meeting to this effect would be held with state Congress leaders A K Antony, Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala on September 25 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Later, a meeting for the official rejoining of the leaders would be held in Thrissur, he added.

He said the decision to rejoin the parent organisation was taken following the move by DIC (K) leaders K Karunakaran and K Muraleedharan to merge with Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

''We want to uphold the lofty principles of the late Indira Gandhi and work for the progress of nation'', Mr Shankaran said.

The meeting was attended by V Balaram, Shobhana George, D Sugathan, M K Abdul Salam, M A Chandrasekharan, M G Sasidharan, Vincent Kattukkaran, Jose Kattukaran, N D Appachan, P S Johny, Prasanna Radhakrsihnan, and Zakir Hussein.

UNI MA LS KP1706