KOZHIKODE: On expected lines, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has decided to field its sitting MPs - P K Kunhalikutty and E T Mohammad Basheer from Malappuram and Ponnani Lok Sabha constituencies respectively - in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. A formal announcement to this effect was made by IUML state president Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal at the party headquarters here on Saturday.
Thangal said the League had demanded three Lok Sabha seats but decided to settle for two to ensure that the Congress gets maximum seats to take on the BJP and emerge the single largest party to form the next government. The IUML supremo said the Congress has accepted the League’s demand that it will be given a Rajya Sabha seat when the next vacancy arises from the state to the upper house. At present, P V Abdul Wahab is the lone Rajya Sabha member of IUML.
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IUML Tamil Nadu state chief K M Kader Mohideen said the party would contest from Ramanathapuram parliament seat. He said the decision was endorsed by Thangal, who is also the chairman of the IUML’s national parliamentary board. Since the party is in alliance with the DMK, a formal announcement will be made on Monday after final consultations with the Dravidian party, he said. Kunhalikutty and Basheer, who were present during the announcement of their candidature, expressed confidence of repeating their win from their respective constituencies.