Karunakaran was upset over Congress’ treatment of son

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - K. Karunakaran, Kerala’s veteran Congress leader who died Thursday, was deeply disheartened by the manner in which the state’s party leadership kept delaying the return of his son K. Muraleedharan to the fold. This despite the fact that Muraleedharan once headed the state unit.

In what is believed to be the last interview Karunakaran gave to a magazine, he said that it was high time the Congress leadership did justice to Muraleedharan.

Thiruvallom Bhasi, editor of two magazines from Melbourne, told IANS over the phone Friday that he met Karunakaran Nov 30 at his home in Thiruvananthapuram for the interview.

“I spent half-an-hour with him and the interview has been published in the December issue of “Indian Malayalee. In it, he clearly expressed his sadness at the manner in which the Congress leadership was handling the issue of Muraleedharan’s return,” Bhasi said.

“It is unjust to keep Muraleedharan out of the party. I am of the opinion that all those who left Congress should be taken back to strengthen the party. Those who decide on the return of Muraleedharan should realise that,” Karunakaran said in the interview.

In May 2005, Karunakaran quit the Congress and formed his own party with Muraleedharan as its chief. One year later he merged his party with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a Left Demicratic Front (LDF) ally. The LDF later threw the NCP out.

A humiliated Karunakaran returned to the Congress, but his son was refused admission because of the vitriolic comments he made during the Left-alliance period.

And now, with the “Leader” departed for ever, Muraleedharan pins his hope on the general expectation that the party leadership would respect his father’s last wish and take him back.