Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony on Thursday left for Delhi to hold talks with the Congress high command amidst reports that the Indian Union Muslim League, a partner in the state United Democratic Front government, was not averse to a leadership change.
He will hold talks with party chief Sonia Gandhi and senior leaders Ahmed Patel, Pranab Mukherjee and R K Dhawan, who have been asked to find a solution to the factional strife that has seriously dented the UDF government's image, party sources said.
Patel, Mukherjee and Dhawan will also hold talks with K Karunakaran, who has been at odds with the CM for a long time. Karunakaran is right now undergoing treatment at the Escort Hospital in Delhi.
On its part, the IUML, with 17 members in the assembly, has told Gandhi that it is not averse to a leadership change, the sources said.
When contacted, IUML general secretary E Ahamad, was unsparing in his criticism of Antony.
"We have not demanded a change of leadership. We don't want to embarrass the Congress leadershipÂ… When they take a decision, we will tell them our views," he said.
"But IUML has strongly presented before the Congress high command the party's reservation against the unsavoury remarks of the chief minister against minorities and NRIs," Ahamad said.
Antony's remarks, made four-five months ago, that minorities in the state had secured undue privileges because of their organised strength and that some non-resident Indians were funding fundamentalist organisations had triggered sharp reactions from the IUML.
