Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 15 (IANS) Deserted by several of his party men, veteran Kerala leader K. Karunakaran said Friday he would join forces with like-minded parties to "strengthen" India's prestige.

Talking to reporters here, the former chief minister said: "During the time of (former prime minister) Indira Gandhi, even the US president broke protocol and came to receive her. But now the situation is different and India 's prestige is a lot lower than ever before. India has to be strengthened."

Referring to media speculation last week that his Democratic Indira Congress-Karunakaran (DIC-K) would merge with the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, he said: "Nothing of what you media people wrote about happened. All that took place was a discussion to see if like-minded parties can have a common platform."

When asked about party colleagues who left earlier this week, he replied: "Those who want to go, can go. They are all destined to go to hell."

"On the 20th of this month our party's general body would be held, and by that time the national executive of NCP would be over. Whatever is decided in the general body would happen," said Karunakaran, who formed his party after breaking away from the Congress in May 2005.

Elaborating on his collaboration with like-minded parties in Delhi he said it was Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar who took the lead and came to discuss matters with him here.

"There are quite a few parties willing to work together and I am a party to that. The 'political climate' is good in Delhi but since the climate is not good for me, I will remain here only," he said.

Meanwhile, the top DIC-K leaders who left him early this week like former minister P. Sankaran, former legislators D. Sugathan, M.A. Chandrasekharan, V. Balaram and N.D. Appachen met in Trissur along with their supporters and decided to hold talks with the Congress for their return.