: The Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which had otherwise concluded their Assembly seat-sharing talks cordially, are facing the prospect of soured relations over the latter’s intent to contest from Thiruvambady Assembly seat in Wayanad.
The IUML leadership had announced its candidate V.M. Ummer from Thiruvambady on the understanding it had arrived at with the Congress in 20 out of the 24 seats, which the party was tipped to contest. However, the Thamarassery diocese had expressed reservations about allotting the seat to the IUML, virtually putting the Congress leadership in a fix. For the last two days, the leaders of the two parties have been holding discussions to wriggle out of a situation that could jeopardise the cordiality that they have been maintaining.
The IUML leadership has made it clear that it did not propose to give up the seat it won last time with a thumping majority. According to UDF sources, the Thiruvambady seat was thrust upon the IUML last time. The social media has been agog with speculations over a 2011 letter written by Mr. Kunhalikutty expressing his party’s willingness to give up the Thiruvambady seat in exchange of another seat. The IUML got to contest Thiruvambady this time consequent to the UDF leadership’s decision to allow all its constituents to contest in their sitting seats.
KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran said that efforts were on to iron out the problems that had cropped up. There was no dispute over the decision to allot the seat to the IUML. Mr. Sudheeran also said the issue was a delicate one and he did not want a public debate on it.
IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty ruled out the question of withdrawing his party’s candidate after it had made a public announcement. The party appears to have lobbed the ball into the Congress’s court, by asking its leaders to take the responsibility to sort out the issue. The Thiruvambady diocese reportedly wants the Congress to contest the Assembly segment, which is dominated by high range settler farmers mostly belonging to the thrifty Christian community.
The IUML and the Congress would have to sort out Thiruvambady first before taking up sharing of the other four seats. This includes Eravipuram, Guruvayur, Kuttiady and Kunnamangalam.
Thamarassery diocese expresses reservations about allotting the seat to the IUML.
