Karunakaran used ‘unparliamentary’ language against Antony at a press meet in daughter Padmaja Venugopal’s Kochi house on September 22. In reply to Antony’s charge that his detractors lacked all morality, an angry Karunakaran had said: "Antony has never been a steady person. Both his public and private life has been shorn of any morality. He had ditched the late Indiraji, supped and slept with the Marxists, scoffed at bishops and community leaders only to go knocking at their doors in time of need. If this is not the sign of a bastard, what is?" Antony seized the chance to emphasise his dignified persona: "Neither my parents nor my teachers schooled me in such language. I’m unable to pay back in the same coin. I will rather not reply to this at all."
But Antony’s ‘restraint’ was followed by his faction drawing up a list of those to be guillotined for working against party candidate M.O. John. Sonia Gandhi was told of the open canvassing against John by Karunakaran’s men. Late Thursday, a disciplinary panel with L.P. Sahi, R.K. Dhawan and Janardhana Poojary was set up to probe the charges. The noose indeed seems to be tightening around Karunakaran.
By John Mary
