Natwar, Karunakaran to work together

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 18 (UNI) Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and veteran leader K Karunakaran will work together, in an apparent bid to build up an 'anti-Congress platform' at the national level.

After an hour-long meeting at Mr Karunakaran's city residence, Mr Singh said the meeting was an indication that both of them were working together.

There would be bonding between the leaders on the basis of issues and not on personalities, he said, but evaded a direct reply to questions on whether the unity would lead to an 'anti-Sonia, anti-Congress' platform.

Mr Singh, who, had been suspended from the Congress party after being indicted for his role in Iraq's food-for-oil scam, dismissed the argument that it was only when he faced bad time in politics, he decided to meet Mr Karunakaran. 'It is not a bad time for me. I still have 18 months of tenure left in Rajya Sabha. In politics, there is no bad or good time. Things change quite often,'' he added.

Mr Karunakaran, who recently dissolved his Democratic Indira Congress (K) to join the National Congress Party(NCP) of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, the meeting between the two leaders was not a new thing. ''We are friends for the past so many years. Our discussion was very satisfactory.'' The issues that came up for discussion included a right leadership at the national level and taking up issues for the welfare of the people.

Mr Karunakaran's son K Muraleedharan also participated in the discussions.

UNI CR AKJ KP2001