UDF meet on Monday; Decision on Speaker must, parliamentary affairs, deputy speaker can wait

Thiruvananthapuram: UDF meeting on Monday could be an interesting one considering the manner in which the inscrutable issue of deciding on the fifth minister for IUML, selection of proper candidate for the post of Speaker and the like.

Congress leaders being pastmasters in trouble-shooting, it should be seen how it would placate the Indian Union Muslim League. The ideas-rich Congress was checkmated by the Muslim League last week by prodding its spiritual leader Panakad Hyderali Shihab Thangal, a relative of the descendants of Prophet Mohamed himself, to announce a fifth minister for the party. How can anyone disregard a wish made by Thangal?

But the Congress cannot part with the fifth position right away, for it has to reserve some positions for the would-be incomers in the UDF. Afterall, politics is the art of all possibilities, and all options have to be kept open, even as there exists the usual grand-standing by all and sundry in the UDF to the effect that everything is spick and span with the coalition and its government enjoying wafer-thin majority in the Assembly.

If the IUML with 20 MLAs insist on five ministers , how can the Kerala Congress(M) refrain from asking a third ministers? Then, if at all it gets a third minister, the post should go to P.C.George whose moves are not predictable, at least for some time. For, in Kerala Congress (M) party, there are three entities owing personal allegiance to K.M.Mani, P.J.Joseph and P.C.George.

Will Oommen Chandy and K.M.Mani bargain for a ministerial slot for P.C.George? At best they would offer the post of deputy speaker to P.C.George, who is not comfortable with accepting the low-profile position.

On Monday, the UDF may sort out the post of Speaker as there is no time left for the selection. Parliamentary Affairs minister and deputy speaker can wait. Or if someone is amenable to accepting a chief whip post with cabinet rank, that can also be decided.

All the same, Monday is a crucial day for the UDF.