IUML seat stirs concerns over change in UDFs communal equations in Kottayam

KOTTAYAM: By granting IUML a seat in the Kottayam district panchayat, the UDF has found itself in a spot amid the local body election heat. The front fears it could lose ground in Central Travancore due to the seat allocation to IUML and its alliance with Welfare Party of India. The Congress conceded to the IUMLs demand after days of discussions. With this, the IUML will be contesting in the district panchayat after a 25-year gap. It contested for the first time from the Erumeli division in 2000, but lost. Though IUML consistently requested a seat every election afterwards, the Congress did not yield. This time, however, the IUML remained firm in its demand during negotiations led by senior Congress leaders Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and K C Joseph. Finally, in discussions that concluded on Friday night, the Congress agreed to allocate the party a seat. The final decision regarding the specific division to be offered to IUML will be announced within two days. Meanwhile, Congress wants IUML to contest as a UDF independent and refrain from using its ladder symbol. The seat will however be counted in the IUMLs account. Congress fears that IUML contesting under its own symbol in the Christian-dominated Kottayam district could negatively impact the UDF. IUML, meanwhile, has agreed to the proposal of fielding an independent candidate. Even if we cannot contest under our symbol, securing a seat in our account strengthens our claim for future negotiations, said an IUML leader. But Congress has refused IUMLs initial request for either the Mundakkayam or Erumeli divisions. There are indications that the League may be offered Thalanad to counter pressure from the Kerala Congress, which has been demanding the division along with seven other seats. Dismissing concerns about a possible setback, IUML district president Aziz Badayil said, Concerns over communal equations are futile. There was no Muslim candidate in the previous election, but the UDF encountered one of its worst setbacks here. The UDF has accepted our demands and it will reflect in the results. The move to allocate seats in the Erattupetta municipality and Kanjirappally panchayat to the Welfare Party has also heightened concerns. A local Congress leader has come out against the move to allocate the sitting Kanjirappally seat to the Welfare Party. To counter setbacks, the UDF has advised the candidate to contest as a UDF independent.