Thiruvananthapuram, June 09: A crucial meeting of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee began here this morning in the backdrop of a fresh factional flare-up sparked by senior leader K Karunakaran's assessment of the A K Antony government's performance as "a total failure." AICC General Secretary in charge of Kerala, Ahmed Patel is slated to attend the afternoon session and interact with leaders of rival factions later, party sources said. The Karunakaran Group's bid to show the UDF government in poor light at a recent factional conclave drew sharp reaction from Antony loyalist and UDF Convener Ommen Chandy who suggested that the two "I" group ministers --- Kadavur Sivadasan and P Sankaran-- who were present at the conclave, better quit if they shared the view that government's performance was dismal. Karunakaran himself reacted sharply to Chandy's comment holding the choice of the party cabinet nominees was not a matter to be decided by liaison committee Convener. Signs of the truce enforced in the wake of the April crisis over the Rajya Sabha elections proving tenuous was evident a fortnight back when Karunakaran publicly charged Antony with running away from responsibilities cast on him as Chief Minister.

The Karunakaran faction was also sore at the continuance of the group-deserters K V Thomas in the cabinet and M P Gangadharan as CLP deputy leader.

Bureau Report