Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 (IANS) The Indian Union Muslim League, a constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, came out with flying colours in the state assembly polls, winning 20 out of the 24 seats it contested.

The UDF has come to power, winning 72 seats in the 140-member Kerala assembly, compared to 68 seats for the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The IUML is the second biggest constituent of the alliance, after the Congress which won 38 seats of the 82 it contested.

IUML’s P. Ubaidullah, who contested the Malappuram constituency, won with the highest margin of 44,508 votes and the second biggest winner was controversial former industries minister P.K. Kunhalikutty who won the Vengara seat by a margin of 38,237 votes.

Speaking on his party’s performance, Kunhalikutty said that they are thankful to their electorate because he and his party were the most hunted ahead of the polls by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.

“This victory is not going to go to our heads and we will not bargain for posts or anything like that,” he said.

Kunhalikutty came under a shadow after being accused in the ice cream parlour sex scandal of the early 1990s, which got its name from the ice cream parlour in Kozhikode used as its base.

He had to step down as minister in 2005 after one of the victims in the sex case alleged his role in the scandal. He then lost the 2006 assembly polls to K.T. Jaleel who was an LDF-supported Independent candidate.

This case resurfaced again early this year when a close relative made some allegations against Kunhalikutty. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan ordered a re-investigation which is still on.