‘Eligible, but won’t stake claim’; League clarifies stand on deputy CM’s post

MALAPPURAM: Muslim League senior leader P K Kunhalikutty said there is no doubt that the UDF will come to power. He said the party will support whoever the Congress chooses as the chief minister and the party will not demand the deputy chief minister’s post. League leader Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal said although the party is eligible for the deputy CM’s post, we will not stake claim for it.

‘V D Satheesan’s statement of getting 100 seats was after checking all figures. Our past estimates for the Nilambur by-election had proven accurate. Nothing has gone wrong so far. So, nothing said this time will go wrong. If goes as per the trend in the parliamentary elections, will get more than 100 seats. There is hope in League’s 27 seats. There was uncertainty in Punalur and Chelakkara.

However, now hope of winning after seeing the activists’ enthusiasm. Our party's support for Satheesan is in his role as opposition leader and it was for the front. The party will decide who will be the chief minister. We will support whoever Congress decides.

We will not create any crisis in the front if power is obtained. We will not demand the deputy CM’s post or engage in disputes over it. The treasury is empty. The chief minister and his cabinet should be decided at the earliest and governance must begin. It is not like Aladdin's magic lamp. After all money is needed for money, right. That is the mistake committed by the LDF. The state should return to the governance style of Oommen Chandy,’ said Kunhalikutty.

‘We have not sought votes in the name of religion. However, the marginalized people trust us. We are eligible for the deputy chief minister’s post, but we will not raise any claim or engage in disputes over it,’ said Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal.