Karunakaran meets Sonia, discusses positions for his supporters

New Delhi, Mar 28 (UNI) Former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, who re-joined the Congress Party three months ago, today held talks with Congress President Sonia Gandhi with regard to positions in the party to those who had returned along with him.

The 90-year-old leader formally returned to the Congress fold on February 1 this year at a public rally in Kochi.

Though Mr Karunakaran returned to the party, no formal decision has been taken by the Congress High Command with regard to party positions to him and his men.

The meeting with Ms Gandhi lasted 30 minutes at her official 10 Janpath residence.

Mr Karunakaran discussed the issue of post sharing issue with AICC General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai, who is in charge of party affairs in Kerala, before meeting Ms Gandhi.

Ms Kidwai was also present at the discussion.

This was the first meeting between Mr Karunakran and Ms Gandhi after the former met her in January here, expressing his desire to return to the Congress Party, which he had served for more than seven decades in different capacities, including as Chief Minister thrice.

Mr Karunakaran and his son and former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President K Muralidharan left the Congress Party and floated their own political outfit- Democratic Indira Congress-on May 1, 2005, but later merged the party with the Nationalist Congress Party headed by Union Minister Sharad Pawar.

Mr Karunakran returned to the Congress Party three months ago, but his son Muralidharan continues to be the President of the NCP in Kerala.

UNI SH VD KP1605