The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key ally in the Congress-led UDF, on Wednesday said it would announce its position only after the Congress high command takes a final decision on Kerala’s next chief minister, amid indications that the announcement could come anytime soon.
The IUML held a crucial leadership meeting at the residence of its supremo, Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, at Panakkad in Malappuram district.
Senior IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty said the party leadership had authorised Thangal to take further decisions on the matter.
“We are waiting for a decision from the Congress high command in Delhi in this regard,” Kunhalikutty told reporters after the meeting.
“The meeting discussed all related matters and authorised Thangal to take further decisions. We will take a call after the high command announces the chief minister,” he said.
Kunhalikutty described the delay in announcing the chief ministerial candidate as “natural” in a democratic process and said it had not created any administrative hurdles in the state.
“We hope a decision will come at the earliest,” he added.
However, the senior League leader avoided directly responding to questions about dissatisfaction openly expressed by some IUML leaders and MLAs over the delay in finalising the chief ministerial candidate.
Among those who attended the meeting were IUML state general secretary P M A Salam, MPs M P Abdussamad Samadani and P V Abdul Wahab, along with other senior leaders.
The Congress leadership has been facing mounting pressure to end the prolonged uncertainty over the chief ministerial post despite the UDF securing a decisive mandate in the recent Assembly elections.
Senior Congress leaders V D Satheesan, K C Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala are learnt to be among the prominent names under consideration for the top post, with intense consultations continuing in New Delhi.
The delay has triggered intense discussions within Congress circles over leadership and power-sharing arrangements, with different factions backing different contenders for the chief ministership.
The issue has also caused unease among UDF allies, particularly the IUML, with some League leaders publicly expressing concern that the prolonged indecision was sending a wrong message to the public and alliance workers.
A section of IUML leaders had recently urged the Congress to resolve the matter quickly, warning that continued uncertainty could affect the momentum gained after the alliance’s electoral victory.
The BJP and the LDF have also criticised the Congress over the delay, accusing the party of “failing” to arrive at a consensus on leadership despite receiving a clear electoral mandate.
(With inputs from PTI)