Kerala - Kochi

No talks yet with DIC(K): Thankachan

Staff Reporter

'UDF not in the know of IUML endeavour'

KOCHI: United Democratic Front (UDF) convener P.P. Thankachan asserts that the Front has not entrusted anyone to hold talks with the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran).

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Thankachan said the issue K. Karunakaran's party returning to the UDF had not come up before the Front liaison committee so far. Any decision on inducting new members into the Front will be taken only after the UDF leadership discusses the issue.

Regarding reports of talks between the DIC(K) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in this direction, Mr. Thankachan said the IUML might be holding talks on its own. The UDF leadership is not aware of any such talks, he said.

Mr. Thankachan said there was no relevance for a third front in the State. A third front is not practical here, he added.

He said that DIC(K) leaders had not sent any feelers to the Congress leadership. The DIC(K) leadership is faced with the problem of its cadre flocking to the Congress. The picture will be clear after the Kochi meet of the Congress scheduled in March.

Mr. Thankachan said none of the former DIC(K) MLAs had contacted the Congress so far. But many of them are interested in returning to the Congress.

Responding to a question whether DIC(K) leaders would be given significant posts in the party after their return, Mr. Thankachan said Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala had declared that deserving posts would be given to the deserving.
(The Hindu-26/02/06, Sunday)