Wednesday, May 18 2005 15:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Thiruvananthapuram: Stung by Congress president Sonia Gandhi's statement that the exit of K Karunakaran had helped the Congress in Kerala, the veteran leader today (May 18, 2005) said the All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief appeared to have made that comment under the influence of a caucus advising her on party matters in States.

"Has she herself made that statement? If it is so, it is unbecoming of a person holding such a high position as that of the Congress president," Karunakaran, who recently broke away from the Congress and floated National Congress (Indira) (NCI) said.

The octogenarian leader said that he was pained that a member of the Nehru family, which he still held in high esteem and regard, had made such a remark.

He, however, said that Sonia Gandhi did not properly reciprocate his affection for the "family" as she had often refused to meet or consult him on party affairs in Kerala.

Asked if he thought she was influenced by a caucus, Karunakaran said "it is a fact, whether you call it a caucus or by any other name."

Holding that the Congress had been getting weakened under the present leadership, Karunakaran said that defeat was in store for the party in the States where Assembly polls are due in a year.

Referring to Gandhi's statement that the damage caused to the party with the exit of Karunakaran was limited when compared to the harm he had done from within, Karunakaran said all that he had done was to speak about issues like party elections with the larger interests of the Congress in mind.

Asked if he thought that the Congress president was prompted by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member A K Antony to make the remark against him, Karunakaran said, "You can read between the lines since she had made the statement close on the heels of meeting these two leaders."

Regretting that this was the first instance of a member of the Nehru family making uncharitable comments against him, Karunakaran said that he had played a key role in paving the way for Sonia Gandhi to take over the party's reins.

Asserting that he would not give up the fight for democracy and people's welfare, Karunakaran said that Congress leaders and workers from several States had contacted him in the last few days.

Asked why he was not demanding resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Karunakaran said that he was certain that Chandy was not going to step down, as he knew clearly that he would not come back to power.

He said that none of the Congress MLAs in the official camp was going to win in the next Assembly polls.

Karunakaran, now Parliamentary board member of NCI, said his outfit would prove that it was the real Congress in the coming days.