Thrissur: Senior Congress leader K Karunakaran today (Feb 13, 2004) said the problems in the Kerala unit of the party was far from over by induction of his son K Muraleedharan in the Cabinet and he had not given up the demand for removal of A K Antony as Chief Minister though prepared to wait till the Lok Sabha polls were concluded.

Karunakaran also discounted immediate chances of one-to- one talks with the party chief Sonia Gandhi as the problems in the party remained unresolved even after the AICC (All India Congress Committee) brokered patch up deal which saw his son becoming a Minister.

"Leadership change was the only solution to the problems in the UDF (United Democratic Fund) and the Government," he said.

The prospects of UDF in the Lok Sabha polls would not be rosy if the coalition approached the electorate in the prevailing circumstances. He however said that the Congress could sweep the State if the candidates suggested by him were fielded.

He said now there were only two factions in the Congress in the State, Karunakaran and anti-Karunakaran groups.

Asked if he would campaign for the party in the State, he said, "That time has not yet come."

He expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which portfolios of Congress Ministers were shuffled to accommodate Muraleedharan in the Cabinet.