Row between Governor and Kerala government is just 'drama', alleges IUML

New Delhi/ Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 19 (PTI) Amid deepening rift between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the Left government, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Tuesday termed the escalating tussle between the duo as a "drama" ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Senior IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty claimed that both the governor and the state government had political interests, and the Congress-led UDF would ultimately benefit from the tussle during the polls.

IUML is the second largest coalition partner in the opposition UDF in the southern state.

Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Kunhalikutty accused the CPI (M)-led government in Kerala of "misusing" all government machineries.

On the other side, the Governor was not upholding the decency and greatness of his position, he alleged.

"What both of them are doing now is just drama... Lok Sabha polls are just two or three months away. All these will finally turn in favour of UDF (during the election). There is no doubt about it," he said.

He said in the midst of growing conflicts between the governor and the LDF government, the people in the state will consider the Congress-led UDF as a more serious or credible option.

Further criticising the Pinarayi Vijayan government, he said there was no need to conduct the Nava Kerala Sadas, their ongoing outreach programme as people would see it only as an election campaign.

He also termed Governor Khan's tour through a busy street in Kozhikode as a mere "show".

However, the IUML leader made it clear that the UDF did not support granting undue power to Governors.

He said not just Kerala but other non-BJP-ruled states were also facing similar interference in functioning by Governors and an upcoming meeting of the opposition coalition INDIA would discuss the matter, he added. PTI