Kerala Chief Minister-designate V D Sathisean on Friday backed his party’s ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and promised to fight attempts to polarize the state, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed the regional party influenced the Congress’ decision to pick him for the top job.
“The BJP carried out such communal propaganda during the elections as well. The UDF is one of the key components of the UDF and played a key role in the victory of the UDF. The UDF is being targeted for attack through this hate campaign to create divisions in society. If the UDF weakens, communal parties will take its place,” Sathisan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
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Sathisan made the remarks after the state BJP unit claimed on social media that the IUML leadership influenced the decision to select the chief minister.
The BJP claimed that Satheesan was chosen for the chief minister’s post due to support for the IUML despite the former’s lack of majority among the legislative party. Satheesan along with his senior colleagues KC Venuogopal and Ramesh Chennithala were in contention for the chief minister’s post.
Sathisan, in his capacity as the president of the United Democratic Front, held a formal meeting of the alliance on Friday to discuss the formation of the next government. It is expected that all parties in the coalition, depending on their strength, will obtain seats in the 21-member government.
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According to leaders familiar with the discussions, the Congress is likely to get 11 ministerial posts, apart from the post of Prime Minister, along with the positions of Parliament Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The IUML, which has 22 MLAs, may get five berths including the ministries of industry, IT, education, local self-government and public works.
The Kerala Congress (JC), which has seven MLAs, is likely to get one seat. Other parties like the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Communist Marxist Party (CMP) led by CB John, Kerala Congress (Jacob) and MLA Mani C Kappan are expected to get a place each.
United Democratic Front convener Adoor Prakash said all the ministers along with the Prime Minister will take oath on May 18 at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. “Today, we held preliminary talks and will continue the discussions tomorrow. We will finalize all the details over the weekend,” Prakash said.
