The denial of Cabinet rank to Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national president E. Ahamed has opened a new war front in the party with a section of leaders reviving the demand for a fifth minister in the Kerala Cabinet.
This section comprises mostly detractors of the Ahamed-Kunhalikutty duo, who had struck a deal with the Congress according to which the IUML decided to withdraw the demand for one more minister.
The condition was that Mr Ahamed will be elevated to Cabinet rank or given independent charge. The faction in the party, led by Mr E.T. Mohammed Basheer, was against the deal and insisted on getting one more minister post in the UDF Cabinet.
However, Mr Ahamed and Mr Kunhalikutty pacified the hawks saying that Cabinet rank for the party at the Centre will be a great recognition.
The two leaders are now finding it difficult to explain the situation after the Cabinet reshuffle. Mr Ahamed is still a minister of state though he got additional charge in the HRD ministry.
The IUML leadership believes that it was defence minister A.K. Antony who scuttled the party’s plans. For the Congress high command, Mr Antony is the last word in Kerala matters.
IUML played a decisive role in dislodging Mr Antony from the post of chief minister in 2005. The Congress leader never pardoned the IUML after he shifted his arena to Delhi.