Kurien's meeting with Gandhi also came against the

backdrop of conflicting statements on the possibility of his resignation by some party leaders. Congress spokesperson P C Chacko, considered to be not on very good terms with Kurien, had a few days back, said in Kerala that the party will take a decision on the demand for removal of Kurien from the particular post before the Budget Session of Parliament. However, the party distanced itself from his remarks the next day with another party spokesperson Sandip Dikshit, saying from the AICC's official podium "whatever Chacko has said is his personal opinion". Chacko yesterday tried to parry questions on Kurien issue but when persisted said, "what I have said in Kerala is related to Kerala. Our party position has been explained by my colleague Sandip Dikshit. It has been very clearly spelt out by him." Rubbishing the controversy, Kurien asked why the lone convict, Dharmarajan, who alleged that the Congress leader was also involved in it, did not make these claims before any of the three police investigations. "A conspiracy is being hatched against me by some CPI-M activists and some of those, who want to oust me from my present position and they are approaching the accused in the main Suryanelli case and pressuring them to retract their earlier statements...They are trying to tarnish my name and create a cloud of suspicion," he had said in a statement.