UDF favours Chandy as CM: IUML

Kozhikode, Apr 11 (UNI) Congress leader Oommen Chandy will be the chief ministerial candidate of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the April/May Assembly poll in Kerala, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second largest parter of the UDF, today said.

All UDF constituents favour the candidature of the incumbent Chief Minister for another term and hope to regain power in the state, IUML general secretary P K Kunhalikutty told a meet-the-press programme.

Referring to Democratic Indra Congress (K) leader K Karunakaran's contention that a decision on the chief minister would be taken after the election, he said here that all UDF constituents wholeheartedly supported Mr Chandy for the top post.

On Mr Karunakaran's reluctance to merge his party with the Congress, as reportedly agreed upon, Mr Kunhalikutty, the negotiator between the two parties on poll tie-up said, 'I know what transpired between the leaders.' It would be sorted out after the elections.

Predicting a comfortable majority for the UDF, he said there was no anti-incumbency factor this time as the people were satisfied with the all round performance of the UDF government.

The government's decision on implementation of the Narendran Commission Report on job quota for minorities in the state would be another major advantage for the UDF in the elections, he said.

Asked if the Kozhikode ice-cream parlour sex scandal would impact his prospects in the Kuttippuram seat in neighbouring Malappuram district he said, 'I have won three elections from the seat with comfortable majority and will repeat the performance.' UNI PCH AA RL RS1645