THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — K. Muraleedharan, Congress Lok Sabha member from Badagara in Kerala’s Kozhikode district and also the son of Late Chief Minister K. Karunakaran, on Tuesday categorically denied speculation that he will join the BJP.
“If it was to so, would I have walked about 450 kms with Rahul Gandhi? I will always remain in the Congress as I just cannot compromise with the communal elements. So even if I am subjected to ridicule in the Congress party, I will always be with the Congress,” said Muraleedharan.
For the past few days, social media was abuzz with numerous reports that a high-flying Congress leader from North Kerala, who has a pan Kerala identity, will join the BJP. And the name of Muraleedharan was being suggested.
In 2001, Muraleedharan was made the KPCC president when A.K. Antony became the Chief Minister.
But soon differences cropped up and the father-son duo formed a new party — Democratic Indira Congress (DIC) and was an ally of the Congress-led UDF in the 2006 Assembly polls and Muraleedharan was the state party president.
After suffering a poll debacle, DIC merged with Left ally Nationalist Congress Party and here again Muraleedharan was the state party president.
After a while, Muraleedharan and the erstwhile DIC members returned to the Congress party and he won on a Congress ticket in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly polls.
In the 2019, Muraleedharan was fielded from the Badagara Lok Sabha seat and he won.
Of late he is having issues with the present state president of the Congress party, his Lok Sabha colleague K. Sudhakaran. — IANS
