The Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on February 25 concluded a crucial seat-sharing discussion ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Though the Congress and the IUML leaders who took part in the deliberations termed the discussion satisfactory, they refused to divulge the outcome of the deliberations and reserved the announcement for February 27.
It was the League’s demand for a third seat, in addition to the Malappuram and Ponnani seats from where it has been successfully contesting for decades together, that warranted the bilateral discussions between the parties. The IUML had reportedly demanded a Rajya Sabha seat to drop its claim for a Lok Sabha seat. The Congress leadership is understood to have expressed its inability to part with a Lok Sabha seat. However, the party may concede to the demand for a Rajya Sabha seat. The term of at least three Rajya Sabha members from Kerala will expire in July.
The IUML leaders who emerged from the meeting said a final decision on the seat-sharing process would be announced after a discussion with party supremo Panakkad Sadikali Shihab Thangal.
‘No further talks’
V.D. Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition, and IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty, who spoke to the media after the discussion, termed the meeting satisfactory. However, both the leaders remained tight-lipped on the consensus arrived at the meeting.
Mr. Satheesan said the Congress would have to discuss the outcome of the meeting with its national leadership. He also added that there would not be any further discussion on the sharing of seats.
BJP’s criticism
The IUML’s demand for the third seat has already triggered a political discussion in the State with the BJP leaders criticising the Congress for surrendering to the demands of the League. The BJP leaders also accused both the CPI(M) and the Congress leaderships of trying to woo the minority votes by acceding to the demands of the League.
Incidentally, the UDF leadership is under pressure to announce its list of candidates for the polls as their political rival, the CPI(M), has informally released its list of candidates.
