Thrissur (Kerala)n | BJP leader Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, on Monday termed former Union minister K V Thomas "ungrateful" over remarks made about her and her father in his book.

Venugopal was responding to reporters over Thomas’ book 'From Kumbalangi to Red Fort' brought out in view of his 80th birthday.

Thomas, who was a Union minister while in the Congress and later distanced himself from the party, was the special representative of the LDF government in New Delhi.

In the book, Thomas claimed that a distance developed between Karunakaran and Sonia Gandhi after the latter objected to giving a seat to Padmaja Venugopal in the 2001 Assembly elections.

Kumbalangi, a village in Ernakulam district, is the native place of Thomas, whose political rise in Congress was with the strong support of Karunakaran.

"How Thomas grew from Kumbalangi is well known to all. My father wanted me to contest from the Chalakudy constituency. However, as my brother K Muraleedharan was also being considered, I withdrew. Then my father also did not pursue it further," she said.

Venugopal said Karunakaran did not require anybody’s help to speak to Sonia Gandhi.

"He (Thomas) wants to show that he was close to Sonia Gandhi then and still maintains that closeness. That is reflected while reading the book," she said.

Venugopal said she had not read the entire book and only went through the portions where she was mentioned.

She also said the book claimed that Sonia Gandhi had objected to promoting her brother K Muraleedharan as KPCC president, which she termed untrue.

"When my father weakened, Thomas shifted to A K Antony. He then passed on information about Karunakaran to them. He betrayed us, after which we distanced ourselves from him. Now he has moved to Pinarayi Vijayan," she alleged.

Calling Thomas ungrateful, she said he was a person who "would do anything to achieve his own ends".

"We considered him as a brother and part of our family. Without K Karunakaran's support, he would not have reached anywhere," she said.

She further said that Thomas was no longer politically relevant.

"I responded because he accused a person who is no more. At least he should show some gratitude. I have witnessed all these things. I am not bothered about what he says tomorrow as I can produce evidence for some of them," she said.

Venugopal also said she could reveal several things regarding the strained relationship between Karunakaran and Sonia Gandhi, but added that doing so would hurt several leaders.

"These are not truths. If the truth about Thomas is written, even the pen used for it will be tainted. Such is his history," she alleged.

She said Thomas was not "grown enough" to accuse Karunakaran. "He will have to be born 10 times to do that," she said.

Venugopal also said she should not be dragged into such matters and maintained that she had a good relationship with Sonia Gandhi.

"I moved to the BJP because of certain state Congress leaders," she said.

"If he says anything further, I will reveal the history, and he will have to bear it. He does not deserve to say anything against Karunakaran. Now, perhaps to sell his books and survive, he has come out with such things," she alleged.

Meanwhile, Thomas told the media that Venugopal should read the entire book rather than isolated portions.

"First of all, it is not new, as the book is compiled from portions published in several weeklies in Kerala over the last two years. Also, the content is based on the diary I write daily," he said.

Thomas said he had great respect and affection for Karunakaran’s family and had even invited Venugopal for the book release.

"I have no angst towards that family, and it was not intended to hurt them," he said.

Thomas also said he was not ready to hurt Venugopal and reiterated that she should read the entire book.