IUML to field sitting MPs in two seats

The Indian Union Muslim League, one of the key coalition partners of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, has decided to field its sitting MPs in the two Lok Sabha seats in North Kerala.

P K Kunhalikutty will contest from Malappuram and E T Muhammed Basheer in Ponnani.

Though the party raised demand for one more seat, it was withdrawn after the UDF agreed to give a Rajya Sabha seat to the IUML in future, said party chief Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal.

Meanwhile, the Congress is yet to finalise the candidates for its seats in the state. The demand by Kerala Congress (M), another coalition party in the UDF, for an additional seat apart from the Kottayam seat it is already holding, was also not yet sorted out. Congress sources said that the party might announce its candidates by March 12.