3 weeks ago
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Riding precocious connected its 2026 predetermination performance, the Kerala Congress nether P.J. Joseph has entered the post-poll dialog array with steadfast demands for furniture representation. The enactment has staked assertion for 2 ministerial berths and the station of Chief Whip successful the incoming United Democratic Front (UDF) Cabinet.
After astir a decennary connected the margins of powerfulness since 2016, the Kerala Congress has staged a decisive return, contesting 8 seats and securing seven. Meeting astatine the enactment chairman’s residence successful Thodupuzha the different day, the recently elected legislators decided that the enactment would property for 2 cardinal ministerial portfolios.
“As the 3rd largest spouse successful the front, we are entitled to 2 ministerial posts. We person 7 members successful the House and a beardown mandate. Naturally, we merit just practice successful the Cabinet,” said Apu John Joseph, who won from Thodupuzha.
Senior person Mons Joseph was elected parliamentary enactment person successful the Assembly, portion Thomas Unniyadan of Irinjalakuda was named lawman leader. Mr. Apu was chosen enactment whip, Shibu Thekkumpuram legislative enactment secretary, and Reji Cherian treasurer.
Speaking to reporters successful Thodupuzha earlier leaving for Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Joseph said present connected Thursday that the contented of Cabinet practice would beryllium resolved done discussions wrong the alliance.
With the Indian Union Muslim League expected to unafraid 5 ministerial berths, Kerala Congress leaders importune that their party, with its beardown basal among the Christian community, was entitled to astatine slightest two. “If the League gets 5 posts, the Kerala Congress should get two. We correspond a important conception of the Christian community, and the Church extended beardown enactment to the UDF successful this election,” a elder person noted.
The request is besides rooted successful precedent. In the 2021 elections, the enactment contested 10 seats but ceded Idukki and Ettumanur this clip astatine the Congress’ request. Leaders accidental those concessions were made connected the knowing that proportional practice would travel a palmy instrumentality to power. In the erstwhile UDF ministry arsenic well, the Kerala Congress had held 2 ministerial posts on with the Chief Whip position.
With the Congress holding 63 seats, its leverage is limited, making conjugation arithmetic the existent determinant of outcome. However, the repeated assertions by Mr. Joseph that determination was ‘only 1 Kerala Congress’ is besides being work wrong governmental circles arsenic a unit maneuver aimed astatine consolidating the claim.
If the last allocation is restricted to a azygous ministerial berth and the Chief Whip post, insiders suggest Mr. Mons Joseph is the front-runner for the Cabinet position, with Mr. Unniyadan apt to beryllium considered for Chief Whip. A 2nd ministerial berth, however, would unfastened the doorway for Mr. Apu.
