Congress, IUML stick to their guns on berths

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THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Talks to resolve the confusion over the 21st minister in the UDF Cabinet turned inconclusive as the Congress de..

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Talks to resolve the confusion over the 21st minister in the UDF Cabinet turned inconclusive as the Congress declined to accept the IUML demand for five berths.
Industry Minister P K Kunhalikutty met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala and UDF convener P P Thankachan here on Monday morning and held discussions. Kunhalikutty made it clear that the party is sticking to the demand of five ministers and there was no going back on the issue. Chandy told Kunhalikutty that the consensus reached in the UDF was that the government will have only 20 ministers and there was no circumstance to reconsider this decision. Later, it was decided that the issue would be discussed in the UDF meeting. The Congress leaders are learnt to have expressed their displeasure to the IUML leader for creating a confusion on this issue without a debate in the UDF.

With the Congress adamant on not giving the fifth minister to the IUML, the IUML is all set to step up pressure for the chief whip post of the UDF for the party, sources said. If the Congress agrees to this demand then Manjilamkuzhi Ali will be made the UDF chief whip. A debate is on whether the chief whip should be given a Cabinet rank.

Mani was the first to stake claim for three ministers in the UDF Government but the Congress had turned down the same.