The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) seems to have discerned a window of opportunity to wring some political advantage from the purportedly inconclusive negotiations between the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) over Lok Sabha seat sharing.
IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty’s somewhat cryptic statement about the outcome of the talks in Kochi came in handy for the LDF. On the face of it, Mr. Kunhalikutty peddled the United Democratic Front (UDF) official line that the exchanges were satisfactory. But he added a somewhat cryptic rider that appeared to manifest as a cleverly camouflaged witticism. Mr. Kunhalikutty pointed out that satisfaction and happiness were not the same.
LDF convener E.P. Jayarajan seized on the politically loaded statement to gain a whip hand over the United Democratic Front (UDF). Speaking to reporters in Kannur, Mr. Jayarajan assailed the Congress for “giving” the IUML the brush off. He accused the Congress leadership of repeatedly running rings around the IUML by slyly and perennially confining the key UDF ally to two LS seats since 1962. Mr. Jayarajan said the IUML deserved more than three seats and could easily win them if the party mustered the confidence to go it alone. He claimed that the Congress could not notch up a single seat in the State without IUML’s support.
