In a surprise move, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second largest constituent in the United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance, has announced a list of four ministers today. This takes their tally in the Oommen Chandy cabinet to five.
As per the agreement in the UDF immediately after the announcement of results, IUML was allotted four ministers and P K Kunjalikkutty, their parliamentary party leader, was already sworn in on May 18 along with the chief minister. After this, the party could announce three more names but it unilaterally announced four.
The new list includes P K Abdurabb, M K Muneer, V K Ibrahim Kunju and Manjalamkuzhi Ali. Among them, Abdurabb was allotted education while V K Ibrahimkunju would get the Public Works department. The department of social welfare and rural development goes to M K Muneer.
The party supremo Panakkat Hider Ali Shihab Thangal declared Ali as the minister for Parliamentary Affairs, which is yet to be approved by UDF leadership.
Earlier, UDF had decided to confine the number of ministers to 20, and the cabinet positions were allotted among coalition partners accordingly. The UDF consensus was that a decision on the posts of Speaker, deputy Speaker and the minister for Parliamentry Affairs would be made later.
However, if that portfolio is included the council of ministers now, the total number goes up to 21 which is against the consensus evolved in the UDF. The IUML's unilateral announcement of a minister of Parliamentary Affairs is expected to have serious repercussions in the alliance.
Clarifying this, P K Kunjalikkutty, IUML member and minister for Industries, said his party had announced this with the prior permission and knowledge of the chief minister. But so far, UDF has not officially confirmed this.
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Kerala Congress (Mani) also made a claim to the post of Parliamentary Affairs minister, but UDF had not conceded it. The party wants either the Speaker's post or the Parliamentry Affairs portfolio.
The Congress is not ready to give the Speaker's post because of its thin margin in the House. But today's announcement of IUML surprised all sides, and is perceived as unilateral.