Opposition leader to be named Sunday

Thiruvananthapuram: Amidst squabbling in Congress over the severe drubbing it received in the state assembly polls, a meeting of newly-elected MLAs would be held here on Sunday, apparently to choose the parliamentary party leader who will be the leader of opposition in the assembly.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will participate in the meeting as a high command representative.

AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik and Secretary Deepak Babaria also will attend the crucial meeting.

The meeting assumes significance in the wake of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy expressing reservation in taking over as opposition leader after the UDF's defeat in the polls.

Besides, Congress workers loyal to former KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala had demanded the post for their leader.

Congress leaders Chandy, Sudheeran and Chennithala, who led the high-profile campaign, have come under fire from a section of Congress workers.

A meeting of UDF liaison committee in its preliminary poll analysis had held that the Front failed to understand the magnitude of the threat posed by NDA in the wake of BJP's growth in the state.

CPI(M) successfully led to communal polarisation and made an impression that they were the real protectors of minorities in the state that led to shifting of minority votes to LDF, it was pointed out.

KPCC is slated to meet here on June 4 an 5 to evaluate in detail the electoral result.

UDF could secure only 47 seats in the polls in which Congress could win only 22 seats out of the 87 it contested.

The second largest partner Indian Union Muslim League won 18 while Kerala Congress (M) six seats and Kerala Congress (J) won one.

Its other two minor partners RSP and JD(U) failed to get even a single seat this time.