Will contest assembly polls, if the party asks, says Cong Kerala chief

Till today, Ihave not gone beyond what the party has said, he toldreporters at the airport here soon after he returned fromDelhi after meetings withthe party high command.As far as I am concerned, whatever decision AICCtakes, I will respect it...

Thiruvananthapuram,Jan 19 (PTI): KPCC presidentMullappally Ramachandran on Tuesday said if the Congress askshim to foray into the electoral arena in the coming assemblypolls, he would do so.

''I have always obeyed whatever the party says.

If the party asks me to contest, I would do so. Till today, Ihave not gone beyond what the party has said,'' he toldreporters at the airport here soon after he returned fromDelhi after meetings withthe party high command.

''As far as I am concerned, whatever decision AICCtakes, I will respect it... I will shoulder whateverresponsibilitythe party entrusts me,'' Ramachandran said whenasked if he would contest in the coming polls, likely inApril-May this year.

On reports that he would contest from Kalpetta inWayanad, the KPCC chief said no such decision had been taken.

A collective leadership of the party-- includingformer chief minister, Oommen Chandy and Leader of OppositionRamesh Chennithala will lead the Congress in the elections, hesaid.

AICC organisational secretary K C Venugopal saidChandy and Chennithala will be jointly leading the partycampaign in the polls.

No discussion has been held with regard tocandidates for the upcoming polls, he told reporters in Delhi.

The party has also decided to utilize the vastexperience of Chandy and Chennithala.

The oppositiion leader has put the LDFgovernment in the dock several times raising key issues,Venugopal said. PTI UDBNWELCOME UDBNWELCOME