Karunakaran forms new party

Veteran leader K. Karunakaran yesterday quit the ruling Congress in Kerala and floated a new party with his son Muraleedharan as its chief.

The launch of the new party, National Congress Indira, was announced here at a convention of his supporters which adopted the tricolour with a wheel and the picture of Indira Gandhi as the party's flag.

Muraleedharan said the new party would follow the policies of the United Progressive Alliance at the federal level striking an alliance with left and democratic forces in the state.

Karunakaran tried not to offend All India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi. He, however, unleashed a scathing attack on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the Kerala party leadership, led by Thennala Balakrishna Pillai.

He said the new party would emerge as the "real Congress" with the support, love and commitment of workers. None of the seven Congress MLAs owing allegiance to Karunakaran attended the convention although they were present in Thrissur.

Non-resident Keralites in the UAE termed Karunakaran's move as suicidal.