KOCHI: Despite having a one-third of the seats in the assembly, the Muslim League, a major constituent of the UDF, is having to beg for a third seat in the Lok Sabha polls, Industries Minister P Rajeeve said in Kochi on Friday.
“Though they have one-third of the support, they are requesting for a third seat from among the 20 seats. Besides, the party is maintaining silence on the soft Hindutva stand taken by the Congress. They have never experienced such a tough situation before,” Rajeeve told reporters on the sidelines of an award function.
The CPM leader said the Muslim League is not just winning their own seats but helping the Congress win too. “League had won the Lok Sabha seat alone by fighting against the Left and the Congress. In Kerala’s particular political scenario, they are aligned with a front. They would perhaps think about whether they should continue further in UDF or stand independently. We are not demanding they should come with us,” he said.
He said the Congress has won several seats with Muslim League votes. “Congress and UDF are facing a severe crisis. They could not take a strong stand on many national issues. The deputy leader of the opposition (P K Kunhalikutty), who is also the Muslim League leader, told the assembly that Congress was a national party and it could not take an immediate decision on various issues. That front has now become a mockery in front of the people,” the minister said.