Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan.
Credit: PTI file photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Resolving the impasse over seat sharing in the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has accepted Congress's offer to provide an additional Rajya Sabha (RS) seat instead of an additional Lok Sabha (LS) seat.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan announced on Wednesday that the RS seat would be allocated on a rotation basis. The next available vacancy will be assigned to IUML, followed by Congress taking the subsequent vacancy. Congress will ensure that IUML consistently holds two RS members.
Currently, IUML holds two LS seats and one RS seat from Kerala. The party had initially sought an additional LS seat, prompting Congress to propose an additional RS seat instead.
IUML, the second-largest coalition partner of Congress in Kerala, holds significant influence in various constituencies, including Wayanad, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to contest for the second consecutive time.
Satheesan indicated that discussions regarding Congress's candidates would soon take place in Delhi.
Reports suggest that all sitting Congress MPs in the state, including Rahul, are likely to contest in the upcoming elections.
Out of the 20 LS seats in Kerala, Congress is contesting 16, IUML will contest two, and one each will be contested by the RSP and Kerala Congress (Joseph).