NCP-DIC (K) merger convention tomorrow; Pawar not to attend

Kochi, Nov 11 (UNI) The curtains will come down on the K Karunakaran-floated Democratic Indira Congress(DIC) tomorrow with the party formally merging with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar at a 'merger convention' here.

The DIC(K), floated with great hopes by Mr Karunakaran after breaking away from the Congress in May last year, was not accepted by the Kerala electorate and had to bite the dust in the assembly elections earlier this year.

Looking for some kind of political rehabilitation, especially for his son and DIC(K) president K Muraleedharan, who lost the assembly polls, Mr Karunakaran decided to merge his party with the NCP, floated by another former Congress stalwart Sharad Pawar.

Although Mr Pawar, who was hospitalised in New Delhi yesterday and advised complete rest for two to three days, will not attend the merger convention, other senior national NCP leaders, including Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, will be present, NCP National General Secretary Pithambaran Master told UNI here this evening.

Other national NCP leaders, who will attend the convention are Maharahstra Public Works Minister Chaggan Bhujbal and Higher Education Minister Dileep Valse-Patil, both party working committee members, and National General Secretaries Pithambaran Master and D P Tripathi.

Both Mr Karunakaran and Mr Muraleedharan will attend the convention, which is being organised by the DIC(K) at the Marine Drive here tomorrow evening.

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