Cong to contest 94 seats in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress will contest 94 seats in Kerala out of total 140. Rest of the 46 seats will be contested by the UDF coalition.

A day after political turmoil, which made the prospects of a Congress-DIC (K) alliance look bleak, the DIC(K) on Thursday expressed the hope that the gap would be bridged, with party president K Muraleedharan claiming talks had resumed and the party's approach was 'open minded'.

'The talks have resumed in the context of discussions between the Indian Union Muslim League leaders and K Karunakaran on Wednesday,' Muraleedharan said.

IUML general secretary P K Kunhalikutty and Education Minister E T Mohammed Basheer, after talks with Congress Working Committee member in charge of Kerala, Veerappa Moily on Wednesday, held discussions with veteran leader K Karunakaran.

Soon after the League leaders met him, Karunakaran softened his stand and said he did not mean to hurt anyone in his speech during the party's Kochi meet. 'I respect Soniaji as a member of the Nehru family,' he said. His words against the Congress had prompted the Congress leadership to take a stand against the alliance.

Moily, who had held talks with Karunakaran last week, had stated firmly that there need not be two Congress parties in the UDF. Almost all Congress leaders spoke against the DIC (K), when asked if the issues raised by Karunakaran were patched up, Muraleedharan said the leader himself had clarified it.

Maintaining that the party had its own identity and there was no compromise on the 'hand symbol', he said 'talks are being held keeping these things in mind.'