Karunakaran trains guns on Sonia

Former Congress leader K Karunakaran today made it clear that he would try and damage the Congress, when he trained his guns today on the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Karunakaran said he was stung by Gandhi's statement that his exit had helped the Congress in Kerala. In his response, Karunakaran, popularly called "Leader" in the state, said the Congress chief appeared to have made the comment under the influence of a caucus advising her on party matters in states.

"Has she herself made that statement? If it is so, it is unbecoming of a person holding such a high position, as that of the Congress president," Karunakaran, who recently broke away from the Congress and floated the National Congress (Indira), told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The first signs of the damage Karunakaran can do, will be visible when Kerala goes to panchayat polls in the coming four months.

The octogenarian leader said he was pained that such a remark had been made by a member of the Nehru family, which he still held in high esteem and regard.

He also said his affection for the "family" was not reciprocated by Gandhi, as she had often refused to consult him on party affairs in Kerala.

Asked if he thought she was influenced by a caucus, he said, "It is a fact, whether you call it a caucus, or by any other name."

He felt the Congress had weakened under the present leadership. Defeat was in store for the Congress in the states where Assembly polls were due in a year, he said.

Responding to Gandhi's remarks that he had damaged the party from within, the former chief minister said he spoke about issues like party elections keeping the larger interests of the Congress in mind.

Asked if he thought that the Congress chief was prompted by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and CWC member AK Antony, Karu-nakaran said, "You can read between the lines. She made the statement close on the heels of meeting these two leaders."

He said this was the first instance of a Nehru family member making uncharitable comments against him. He also claimed to have played a key role in paving the way for Gandhi to take over the party's reins.

Asserting that he would not give up the fight for democracy and people's welfare, Karun-akaran said Congress leaders and workers from several states had contacted him in the last few days.

Asked why he was not demanding the resignation of Chandy, Karunakaran said he was certain that Chandy would not step down because of the fear of not being returned to power.

He said none of the Congress MLAs would win the next Assembly polls. Karunakaran, now parliamentary board member of NCI, said his outfit would prove in the coming days that it was the real Congress.