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Congress Opens Door For Return Of Prodigals
News

By ugesh sarkar, Section Politics & Religion
Posted on Sat Nov 14, 2009 at 10:14:45 PM EST

THE AILING 92- year- old former Kerala chief minister K. Karunakaran has a “ last wish”. That his son and former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Muralidharan be readmitted into the grand old party.

The father- son duo had left the Congress in 2005, formed the Democratic Indira Congress ( Karunakaran) and later joined the Nationalist Congress Party ( NCP).

The Congress is not averse to obliging the old warhorse. With its fortunes on the upswing, the party is striving to expand and consolidate its base across the country. That many of the former rebels and their political heirs or heiresses are keen to return to the parent party’s fold is only going to make it easier for the Congress.

After the Lok Sabha polls, senior NCP leaders P. A. Sangma, his daughter and minister of state for rural development Agatha Sangma and Tariq Anwar were also said to be keen on ‘ homecoming’. Sources close to Sangma said the father- daughter duo would have joined the Congress but for the fact that Agatha would have lost her Lok Sabha membership in the absence of a one- third split in the NCP. While the anti- defection law has tied the Sangmas’ hands, Muralidharan may not to wait too long to get his wish.

Murali spoke to AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Mohsina Kidwai on Wednesday regarding his return to the party.

Source: Mail Today Cong opens door for return of prodigals

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He said he would meet Kidwai sometime next week and give a representation to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress is already roping in fringe parties and bringing back prodigal sons. Recently, Malayalam media baron and Janata Dal ( Secular) leader Virendra Kumar was admitted into the Congress- led United Democratic Front.

“ A person who used his newspaper for the character assassination of the Nehru- Gandhi family was welcomed into the UDF. If Abdullahkutty ( a former poster boy of the CPM in Kerala) is welcome, if Virendra Kumar is okay, then why not Muralidharan?” said former Kerala minister K. K. Ramachandran.

While a section of state leaders are lobbying for Murali’s reinduction, some are trying to stall his entry. Defence minister A. K. Antony, Union minister of state for home M. Ramachandran and former minister and Kerala Speaker V. M. Sudheeran are among the senior party leaders backing his re- entry.

Former chief minister Oommen Chandy and state Congress president Ramesh Chennithala are opposed to the move.

In other states, too, there is a beeline to join the Congress. The party hasn’t given up yet on NCP’s merger. Congress managers are even hoping that the Trinamool Congress will merge with the party before the West Bengal assembly elections in 2011, though Mamata Banerjee ruled out the possibility on Wednesday.

The Congress, however, managed to rope in former Union minister Thirunnavaukkarasar in Tamil Nadu. He belongs to the influential Thevar community. He was a BJP member in the Rajya Sabha, but resigned after joining the Congress last week.

In Uttar Pradesh, Azam Khan, who was the Muslim face of the Samajwadi Party before quitting, has sent feelers to the Congress.

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