error during upgrade to 13.10, package python-appindicator 12.10.1+13.10.20130920-0ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should reinstall it before attempting a removal.

During upgrade from 13.04 to 13.10 libappindicator gave several errors, and was finally left in an bad state.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: python-appindicator 12.10.1+13.10.20130920-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-12.19-generic 3.11.3
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-12-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2
AptOrdering:
 python-appindicator: Remove
 xsettings-kde: Install
 xsettings-kde: Configure
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Oct 21 16:37:59 2013
DpkgTerminalLog:
 dpkg: error processing python-appindicator (--remove):
  Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should
  reinstall it before attempting a removal.
DuplicateSignature: package:python-appindicator:12.10.1+13.10.20130920-0ubuntu2:Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should reinstall it before attempting a removal.
ErrorMessage: Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should reinstall it before attempting a removal.
InstallationDate: Installed on 2009-12-09 (1411 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: libappindicator
Title: package python-appindicator 12.10.1+13.10.20130920-0ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should reinstall it before attempting a removal.
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2013-10-21 (0 days ago)