KOCHI: Without adding fuel to speculation over the Kerala Congress (M) returning to the UDF fold, front convenor Adoor Prakash on Thursday said the opposition alliance would be expanded before the assembly election next year.
Speaking to mediapersons after the UDF coordination committee meeting in Kochi, he said discussions on broadening the front have been ongoing for some time. “Although it wasn’t part of today’s agenda, the conversation around alliance expansion is not new. A final decision will be taken after consulting all senior leaders,” he said.
To a question on whether the Kerala Congress (M) figured in the meeting, Adoor Prakash said that Jose K Mani was not part of our discussions today. “However, the topic of alliance expansion has been under consideration for a while,” he said.
He extended an open invitation to like-minded parties. “Our focus is on uniting all those who are willing to join us in the fight against the current government.”
Adoor Prakash also predicted a strong showing by the UDF in the upcoming local-body and assembly elections. “The UDF will contest the local-body elections as a united front, addressing internal issues in advance. We are confident of winning 100 seats in the 2026 assembly election.”
Meanwhile, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) state general secretary P M A Salam reiterated the party’s long-standing demand to expand the UDF alliance, expressing hope of positive developments in the near future. “The IUML has consistently demanded broadening the alliance, and we remain optimistic that constructive changes will emerge,” he said.
Responding to the ongoing debate over the chief ministerial candidate, sparked by a recent survey, Salam clarified, “The IUML stands firmly with the UDF, not with any individual leader. Surveys may take many forms, but they hardly matter.”