Kerala Politics: IUML Predicts Congress Unity After Election Results

A key ally predicts Congress will resolve internal disputes and unify after the Kerala Assembly election results, signalling potential shifts in the state's political landscape.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points

IUML leader Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal believes Congress will become more unified and cooperative after the Kerala Assembly election results are declared on May 4.
The IUML has expressed its disapproval of the public arguments within the Congress party regarding who should be the UDF's chief ministerial candidate.
IUML leader P M A Salam stated that public discussions about the CM candidate are inappropriate and could harm the morale of party workers.
Senior Congress leaders have voiced differing opinions on the appropriateness of discussing the CM candidate before the election results.

IUML, a key constituent of the UDF in Kerala, on Friday said the Congress will become "a good child" after May 4, when the Assembly poll results will be declared, indicating its disapproval of the arguments in the grand old party on who should be the CM candidate of the front.

India Union Muslim League (IUML) supremo Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal made the remark while speaking to reporters in Malappuram.

"Let us wait till May 4. Congress will take everything into consideration and will become a good child after May 4. After that, UDF and Congress will be forced to make an appropriate decision.

"Till then, let us wait. Till then, let the discussions continue. No problem with that. There should be no arguments after May 4. There will be a good decision after that," he said.

IUML's Stance on Deputy CM Position

Thangal also said that the League, a major ally of the Congress in Kerala, has not spoken about a Deputy CM position for the party if the UDF comes to power.

"It is not there in our agenda. Whatever the League is entitled to, the UDF has given," he added.

Concerns Over Public Discussions

Earlier in the day, IUML leader P M A Salam said that it was his party's view that the public discussions and arguments on who should be the CM candidate of the front was not appropriate.

He said that such public discussions on the matter would lead to discontent among the front workers and the general public.

"Not against discussions, but it should not be done publicly. It will harm the mental strength of the workers. It will create discontent among them. The leaders need to keep that in mind," he said.

Currently, the arguments and discussions which are going on are unnecessary, he said.

Differing Views Within Congress

A similar view was expressed by senior Congress leaders M K Raghavan and Ramesh Chennithala, but former KPCC chief K Sudhakaran was of the opinion that there was nothing wrong with discussions on the issue.

Raghavan, the Lok Sabha MP from Kozhikode, at a press conference in Delhi deprecated the ongoing discussions within the party on who should be the chief ministerial candidate in Kerala, saying that it will tarnish the image of the Congress.

He said the discussion began with a remark by the Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) president Mohammed Shiyas and questioned what right he had to make such comments.

"It is his statement that created the entire controversy. A statement which should not have been made. Then the controversy began spreading widely in the cyber world," he said.

The Congress MP said that such discussions should happen only after the results are out.

Chennithala also said that the discussions on the CM candidate of the party were "unnecessary".

"I have said so earlier too," he added, while speaking to reporters in Delhi.

On the other hand, Kannur MP Sudhakaran said that discussions should happen for decisions to be made. "Then only things will move forward. Such discussions, before poll results, have happened in Kerala in the past as well. There is nothing new about it. It is all part of the democratic process," he said.

Regarding the views expressed by Raghavan on the issue, Sudhakaran said that everyone was entitled to their own opinion and no one was questioning that.

Salam, earlier in the day, also said that the IUML knows that the Congress was capable of deciding their leaders and they will do it at the appropriate time.

He further said that the League's view has not been sought on who should be the CM candidate.

"The League will accept the Congress' decision on who should be the CM candidate. It will come as the UDF decision," he added.

The Kerala Assembly polls were held on April 9, and the results will be declared on May 4.

The IUML's statement comes amid speculation about potential alliances and power-sharing arrangements in Kerala after the election results. Under Indian election law, parties often negotiate post-election to form a coalition government if no single party secures a majority. The UDF will likely need to present a united front to challenge the incumbent LDF government.

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