Karunakaran behind toppling of Antony govt: Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16 (UNI) Dissident Congress leader K Karunakaran and his aides were behind the plots to topple the former A K Antony government and the Congress scuttled the move, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy today said here.

The first instance was during the Rajya Sabha poll when the group tried to defeat the official party candidate, he told at a press meet.

''The official Congress candidate did not get the votes of 26 MLAs and one vote was invalid. Still, two candidates went to the RS.'' Next time, the faction joined hands with CPI(M), which was revealed by Janadhipatya Samrakshana Samiti leader K R Gowri's statement that she was offered Rs 20 million and posts to dump Mr Antony and support Mr Karunakaran as the next Chief Minister.

''The last time when the Karunakaran faction tried to topple the government was during the tabling of the Appropriation Bill,'' alleged Mr Chandy and Congress leader Aryadan Mohammad, who was also present.

Mr Karunakaran claimed support of 21 MLAs and 40 opposition members when the bill was to be tabled in the Assembly. Mr Antony would not have been able to continue as CM if the bill was defeated.

The situation was bad as IUML members were away for a party meeting.

''However, luck was with us. One of the MLAs who participated in the meeting at Mr Karunakaran's house a day before the bill was introduced called me and told me some MLAs would be sitting as a separate block in the Assembly and would vote against the bill.'' Mr Chandy said after discussions with Mr Ahmed the Congress High Command was told about this plan, which immediately sent a fax suspending six MLAs.

All the dissident MLAs changed their stand as a result, Mr Chandy said. ''Those were not the close aides of Mr Antony who were key players in the toppling plot but Mr Karunakaran and his close aides.'' Mr Chandy was responding to DIC(K) leader M P Gangadharan's remark that it was Mr Antony's close associates led by himself, Mr Mohammad and Mr Purushothaman who plotted and ousted the Antony government.

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