Kerala

Vote was against BJP: Kunhalikutty

MALAPPURAM: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has said that its vote in favour of the confidence motion moved by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at bay.

IUML State general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty said here on Wednesday that his party had clear views on the nuclear deal and that it could never approve of a deal with the United States of America. But, the party’s representative in the Union Cabinet, E. Ahamed, voted for the UPA only to keep the BJP out of power, he said.

Addressing a meet-the-press programme at the Malappuram Press Club, Mr. Kunhalikutty said he was not sure about the context in which Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala had said that the IUML supported the deal. “The Left, which said it was never ready to make compromises with the BJP, has now condescended to vote with the BJP,” he said.

According to Mr. Kunhalikutty, a third front will always remain a myth. “Congress has become untouchable for the CPI(M) now. With whom will they make an alliance now,” he asked.

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