THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The confusion over the 21st minister in the UDF Cabinet is learnt to have been resolved with both the Kerala Congress(Mani) and IUML reaching an accord. Sources said the KC(M) leadership has agreed to give the Cabinet berth to the IUML and they are ready to be content with the Deputy Speaker post.A final decision depends on the Congress leadership as it has to agree to expand the Ministry strength to 21.The UDF meeting scheduled for June 22 will be taking a final decision on this. The patch-up formula is learnt to have been evolved in the informal discussions both the parties had on this.If all goes well, then Manhalamkuzhi Ali Ali will be sworn in as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister on June 24 and N Jayaraj will be the Deputy Speaker.The claim for the 21st berth in the Cabinet had led to a dispute in the UDF as the IUML had announced its Minister even before the Front had taken a final decision in this regard. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy himself had declared that the UDF will have only 20 Ministers in the Cabinet.However, the Congress is now learnt to have yielded to the pressure tactics of the IUML and the KC(M). With the IUML demanding four Ministers, K M Mani had staked claim for a third Minister. If not, he was ready to be content with the Deputy Speaker post.Though the Chief Minister was personally against the expansion of his ministry, it is now becoming evident that the everything in the UDF is not going as per the wishes of Oommen Chandy.
Comments
0 comment