A "reluctant" Antony was asked to contest the state Assembly polls by then prime minister Narasimha Rao and was eventually anointed as chief minister, Hassan said in Kozhikode yesterday.
He also said that he "regretted" having worked for the removal of Karunakaran.
Antony, the CWC member and former Union defence minister, did not favour Karunakaran's removal from the post and stated that a demand for change in style of functioning or a warning would have been enough, the KPCC chief said.
As the remarks created a mild furore, Chandy refused to comment.
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Hassan today said that he stood by what he said.
"There is no need to give any other meaning or interpretation to my remarks," he said here.
The ISRO spy case had caused political upheavels in Kerala, leading to the resignation of Karunakaran.
There had been allegations that Karunakaran's bete noire Antony had played a role in removing him as chief minister in 1995.
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