Key leaders quit Kerala party ahead of merger

Thiruvananthapuram: Several key leaders of the Democratic Indira Congress-Karunakaran (DIC-K) have deserted the party following its leadership's move for merger with the National Congress Party (NCP).

Most of the key Karunakaran aides are returning to the Congress, while some others are planning to form a new party.

Reports also suggest that some of them might join the Kerala Congress led by T.M. Jacob who till the other day was with DIC-K founder leaders K. Karunakaran and his son K. Muraleedharan.

Those who opted to throw their weight behind Jacob included DIC-K general secretary Prof Oommen Mathew and working committee member George Jacob.

Close aide

The most notable among those who left the DIC-K camp yesterday was Kurnakaran's close aide and former minister P. Sankaran. He told reporters in Kozhikode that he was quitting the DIC-K in protest against the merger move and returning to the Congress along with his supporters. "The DIC-K's decision to merge with the NCP is against the very principles on which the party was formed. Also, this is an attempt to join hands with the Left forces," he said.

Karunakaran and Pawar held talks on a merger last night in Kozhikode and a final decision on it is still awaited. According to Pawar, the merger would take place later this month.

Sankaran accused the DIC-K leadership of not even discussing the merger issue at the party level and said several functionaries, including DIC-K District vice-president E. K. Gopalakrishnan and general secretary M. K. Sahadevan, had also decided to join the Congress along with him. "It is better to remain in a party with respect without enjoying any position," he said on his decision to return to the Congress.