UDF calls result a political statement

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has expressed happiness over the unity among the ruling coalition partners that was visible during the Aruvikkara by-election and urged the leaders to keep it up for the civic polls three months away.

Addressing a meeting of the UDF high-power committee which described the electoral outcome as a “political statement” here on Thursday, he asked them to iron out all the differences among themselves.

UDF convener P. P. Thankachan told reporters after the meeting that the issue of P. C. George's continuance in the UDF was a "closed chapter" and it did not come up for discussion at the meeting.

He termed as “unfortunate” the CPM leadership’s campaign accusing the UDF of purchasing votes with money and liquor.

“Voters should not be shown in such a poor light when the real truth is that UDF sought the vote on development plank. The outcome also is an indicator on how UDF is going to surge ahead in the imminent panchayat elections,” he said.

At the meeting, RSP secretary A. A. Azeez intervened to say that he has got some grievances which have to be addressed. He gave a letter in writing to the chief minister demanding the vacant post of deputy speaker for his party.

In the letter, he also demanded that since KC (B) was no longer with the UDF, the board and corporation positions left by that party should be given to the RSP.

A senior UDF leader told DC that Mr Chandy would take an appropriate decision at the earliest on the deputy Speaker.

Meanwhile, P. C. George admitted at a press conference that his ACDF could not get the number of votes won by its allies from Aruvikkara when they contested individually last year.

He gave a clean chit to Vaikunta Swamy Dharma Pracharana (VSDP) saying that they had not deceived.