Ahamed seeks another berth in Kerala Cabinet

Apr 10, 2012 - Thufail PT |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

Crisis in the ruling UDF government in Kerala is likely to intensify as Indian Union Muslim League president and Union minister of state for external affairs E. Ahamed Monday met AICC president Sonia Gandhi to press for his party’s demand for a fifth minister in the state Cabinet.
Efforts in this connection by Mr Ahamed, who also met Union defence minister A.K. Antony, has come at a time when the Congress party has reportedly hinted that the Muslim League would have to compromise Mr Ahamed’s Cabinet berth at the Centre if his party had to be given another minister in the state.
However, Mr Ahamed, while talking to journalists, rejected such reports calling it “speculations by media”. He said that the Congress has “understood and appreciated” the Muslim League’s demand. He added that the Mulsim League has a very strong and long-standing association with the Congress party. Mr Ahamed said the UDF will soon take a decision on this without affecting the smooth running of the coalition government.
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary in-charge of Kerala Madhusudan Mistry also told reporters that the issue would be settled in a friendly manner.
Apart from the discussions to be held in the coming days between the leaders of Congress and Muslim League in Kerala, the state’s Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala is all set to meet his party’s high command for the second time in this connection.
Mr Chennithala, who is going to land in Delhi late on Monday will meet senior party leaders, including Mrs Gandhi.
While the Congress has been reportedly contemplating new formulas to settle the issue, the Muslim League has refused to accept anything short of a Cabinet berth. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Party had reportedly offered the Assembly Speaker’s post to the Muslim League after its members objected to give another Cabinet berth to the Muslim League citing that it would create imbalance in communal equations of the Cabinet.

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