'I' faction flays action against Muraleedharan

Kerala, which is to go to the polls later this year, was on the boil again as the Congress high command late last night suspended former president of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee K Muraleedharan from the party in view of his decision to go ahead with the parallel rallies without taking the state party leadership into confidence.

Muraleedharan's father, K Karunakaran reacted sharply, absolving party chief Sonia Gandhi of any blame but criticised the state leadership, including Chief Minister Oomen Chandy for conducting the affairs of the party so badly that the 'I' (Indira) group of the party was forced into mass action against the chief minister.

Muraleedharan decided to hold three 'I' group rallies, the first of which was to be held tomorrow at Kozhikode, without the consent of state party leadership.

Muraleedharan's suspension letter was faxed to PCC chief Thennala Balakrishna Pillai who will inform the former PCC chief about it.

AICC in-charge of Kerala Ahmed Patel had called up Karunakaran in the last two days after the 'I' group made public its decision to go ahead with the rallies, which had created a controversy in the party. Earlier in the day, Patel held discussions with senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee to find an amicable solution to the problem.

The news caused disquiet in the Karunakaran camp but there was no indication that the veteran Congress leader was going to call off or postpone the rallies.

"I have not received the suspension (order) so far, though I have come to know about it through media reports. However, the rally will be held today as scheduled and there is no change in it," Muraleedharan told reporters in Kozhikode.

He said "I believe AICC chief Sonia Gandhi has nothing to do with it. We will continue to be loyal to the Nehru family."

Asked if district Congress leaders would attend the rally, he said "you can see that during the public meeting which is to follow the rally. Now all that I can assure you is about the presence of lakhs of party activists."

Charging Chandy with acting "unilaterally", Muraleedharan said "he can threaten the leader with disciplinary action, but not the party cadre".

Karunakaran said he was not only going to attend this rally but the other two to be held shortly in Kerala as well. Virtually daring the chief minister to take action against him, he said he could only pity a man like Chandy who could silence him (Karunakaran) only through the use and show of his power.

The Congress I is torn in two about the action that should be taken against those Congress leaders who attend the rally. On the one hand, disrespect to Karunakaran will invite shame from party cadres. On the other, this kind of blatant flouting of the diktat of the high command will tend to be repeated in other states if it goes unpunished.