Thiruvananthapuram: In a surprise development, Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony resigned today (Aug 29, 2004) after more than three turbulent years in office marked by intense factionalism in the ruling Congress spearheaded by veteran K Karunakaran and its total rout in the Lok Sabha elections.

"I am resigning from Chief Ministership. The United Democratic Front (UDF-led by Congress) had to face severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections. There may be several reasons for it but as a person who led the UDF I am taking responsibility for it," he told reporters after a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Thiruvananthapuram.

Sixty-three year-old Antony, who is quitting as Chief Minister for a second time in his career, said Gandhi has accepted his resignation. Antony, who had succeeded Karunakaran after the latter's ignominious exit in the wake of the Emergency, had quit in 1978 when there was a split in Congress and he had sided with the faction led by late Devraj Urs.

Though the exit of Antony could not be considered a total surprise in view of the continuous sniping at him by his rivals in Congress, which severely constrained his style of functioning, the timing did stun even his opponents.

"Today when I met the Congress President before she left (for Delhi after some engagement in Kollam), I asked her to end this uncertainty once and for all. I requested her to allow me to quit and she gave her nod," Antony, known for his spartan style, said.

The Congress Legislature Party is meeting here tomorrow to elect Antony's successor amidst speculation that UDF convenor Oomen Chandy and senior leader Vayalar Ravi are in the race. Party sources also do not rule out senior leader and former Minister Aryadan Mohammed emerging as the dark horse.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Congress general secretary Margaret Alva are going to Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow as observers to CLP meeting. Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel and another general secretary Anil Shastri are already in the Kerala capital.

Karunakaran, who ran a virually non-stop campaign for Antony's ouster, complimented him tongue-in-cheek saying "at least Antony conceded. It's a good thing. It's a service he has done to the State."

Antony, who came to power riding an anti-Left wave in May 2001 Assembly elections, often made, what his supporters felt, compromises with the rival faction in Congress which only whetted its appetite.

Once Karunakaran's son K Muralitharan was made the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) chief and as the group fighting intensified was made a Cabinet minister.

However, he had to resign following his defeat in the Assembly bypoll. Before his son was inducted into the Cabinet, Karunakaran had held a meeting of his followers and came close to splitting the party.