IUML state president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal has said that although the party has not staked any formal claim for cabinet positions in the state government, it expects to get five berths.

Mr. Thangal was speaking to reporters late on Friday (May 15) night before boarding a train to Thiruvananthapuram, where UDF allies are meeting to finalise the cabinet.

In the 2011-2016 Oommen Chandy government, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had five ministers.

“We did not stake any claims. The discussions are going on. We expect that in the final decision, all aspects will be taken into account,” he said.

-PTI

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K.C. Venugopal on Friday said that differences among senior Congress leaders over the selection of the Kerala Chief Minister, including issues involving Ramesh Chennithala, would be resolved smoothly.

When asked whether Mr. Chennithala would be part of the Cabinet, Mr. Venugopal said the matter would be discussed by the party leadership.

“There is a good team in the State which will make a decision on this,” he said.

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With V.D. Satheesan emerging as the Congress-led United Democratic Front’s chief ministerial face, the party unit in Ernakulam, his stronghold, appears to be set for a political reset.

Mr. Satheesan’s elevation as the party’s Chief Minister-designate, after an intense internal turbulence, has triggered speculations over who all from the district could find a berth in his Cabinet.

Notably, the Congress did not have a Minister from Ernakulam in the previous Oommen Chandy-led UDF government. The Indian Union Muslim League’s V.K. Ebrahim Kunju and Anoop Jacob of the Kerala Congress(J) were the two ministers from the district then. This time, the Congress may go for one more Minister from the district, besides the Chief Minister. With the UDF poised to discuss Cabinet formation on Saturday, Congress insiders suggest Aluva MLA Anvar Sadath, T.J. Vinod (Ernakulam), Roji M. John (Angamaly), and Mathew Kuzhalnadan (Muvattupuzha) are among the ministerial probables from the district.

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