A perceptibly grumpy Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) appeared to be tightening the screws on Congress for an extra seat in the Lok Sabha elections. A crucial meeting of the United Democratic Front (UDF) coordination committee in Kochi on February 25 will weigh the thorny issue.
Given the shifting demographics and demands of national politics wrought by the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, the IUML seems keen on foraying out of its traditional Malappuram and Ponnani Lok Sabha seats for more electoral territory. So far, the Congress has appeared outwardly disinclined to entertain the IUML’s demand. For several months, that Congress had played a game of procrastination, hoping that the IUML’s quest for more electoral leverage in the UDF would play itself out.
The Congress reportedly does not want to exude the image of a waning power in the UDF by appearing to yield more political ground to the IUML. The party’s wariness about potentially altering the power equations in the Opposition alliance has tested the IUML’s patience.
IUML State secretary P.M.A. Salam told reporters in Malappuram that the Congress could not afford to keep dragging its feet on the party’s demand. Mr. Salam claimed other UDF partners were open to yielding an extra seat to the IUML. He said the delay in accepting the IUML’s demand had rendered party workers testy and voters confused.
LDF’s candidate
He said the UDF could ill-afford to forsake the advantage of announcing candidates early. Mr. Salam said whether the IUML would go it alone if the Congress did not heed its demand was an imaginary question. The IUML also appears to be hedging against the LDF’s purported move to field an IUML dissident K.S. Hamsa from the Ponnani LS constituency. It is also wary of the CPI(M)‘s perceived overtures to influential Muslim social organisations in north Kerala.
Congress stance
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan refused to hazard a guess on whether the Congress would heed the IUML’s demand. Speaking to reporters in Kottayam, Mr. Satheesan said the UDF coordination committee would decide the matter. He denied there was any deliberate delay on the part of the Congress to address the IUML’s demand. “The Assembly session and the Samaragni campaign of the Congress caused some delay,” he said.
The Congress also seems aware that the CPI(M) and the BJP would portray acquiescing to IUML’s demand as a sign of growing political frailty. For one, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan had said the UDF sans the IUML was of no consequence in Kerala.
