Democratic Indira Congress merges with NCP

KOCHI: The Democratic Indira Congress (DIC-K) of K Karunakaran merged with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at a convention here on Sunday evening.

The ailing NCP leader and Union Agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, could not make it, but Union Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel, Maharashtra minister Chagan Bhujbal, general secretaries D P Tripathi and Peethambaran Master, were among the NCP leaders who attended the meeting.

Addressing the convention, the DIC-K leader K Karunakaran, said he would not abandon party workers who had stood by him. The merger would ensure that the party reaches greater heights, he said.

"The coming days and months are crucial. We will teach UDF leader Oommen Chandy a lesson," Karunakaran said.

Patel said a change would come about in the country in the days to come with the coming together of the two parties. The NCP will have a great role to play in this, he said.

The NCP would work to fulfill the vision of Karunakaran for the development of Kerala and the entire country, he said.

The NCP's flag was handed over by Praful Patel to K Muraleedharan, DIC-K president, signifying the merger.