Muraleedharan poised to rejoin Congress party
Kerala leadership approves his return after six years
Thiruvananthapuram: After years of political isolation, K. Muraleedharan, son of the late former Kerala chief minister K. Karunakaran, has inched closer to a formal return to the Congress party.
The Congress leadership in Kerala has technically approved Muraleedharan's return to the party, six years after his suspension in 2005.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala and opposition leader Oommen Chandy yesterday formally informed party president Sonia Gandhi of their approval of Muraleedharan's return.
Sources in the party say there are unlikely to be any hitches now for his return, and that the party president only has to complete the formalities to let him come back to the party.
Party leaders had earlier indicated they only needed a green signal from the leadership in Kerala to welcome Muraleedharan back.
Muraleedharan said he was happy about the development and that it ended "20 months of wait". He was last associated with the Nationalist Congress Party. He said even though he had to wait longer than expected, it was also a consolation that the delay helped garner more acceptance for his return to the party.
No special demand
He said his return was unconditional and that he was making no special demands.
"I only asked for a 3 rupees [24 fils] party membership, and whatever else will be the decision of the party leadership."
He also rued the fact that his father, who passed away in December, was not here on this happy occasion.
Muraleedharan's sister K. Padmaja also hailed Muraleedharan's return to the party.
"I think the soul of my father would be happy about this. He had wanted Muraleedharan back in the Congress fold," Padmaja said.
Even though he was not a party member, Muraleedharan had thrown his weight behind the Congress and the United Democratic Front in the recent local body elections in Kerala, in which the coalition scored a thumping victory. It is believed that Muraleedharan's association was particularly helpful for the coalition in different places, particularly in Kozhikode.
