Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10: Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony today refused to comment on the reported statement of KPCC president K Muraleedharan that Congress would have a difficult time in facing the next year's Parliament election in the state with him heading the government. Answering reporters' queries on the squabbles in the state Congress, Antony said he was not going to make public comments on party affairs and trigger a controversy.

"The Congress crisis is a Congress family affair and the party is capable of overcoming it," Antony said.

To a question, Antony said crisis had not crippled the administration but had dented the image of the government.

On the drubbing Congress received in three northern states in the election, Antony, who was also a member of the selection committee of candidates, said it was a setback.

"Victory and failure in elections was part of Parliamentary democracy and Congress would bounce back," he said. Bureau Report