Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and the United Democratic Front (UDF) government are being “held hostage” by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary K. Surendran has said.

Addressing the media in Kozhikode on Saturday (October 3), Mr. Surendran said the Chief Minister was “prostrating himself” before the two organisations “morning and evening”.

He said the BJP had anticipated that, when the UDF government came to power, the IUML and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind would effectively run the State. “After 130 days of the government, Keralam too has realised this. Although Mr. Satheesan is at the helm of the government, the IUML and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind control it,” he alleged.

Mr. Surendran said the IUML had, for the first time, secured six Cabinet-level positions. “We have not forgotten the discussions that took place in Keralam when the IUML demanded a fifth Minister during the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government. Yet, the Muslim League has now been given five Ministers holding important portfolios, along with the new Cabinet-rank post of chairperson of the State Administrative Reforms Commission,” he said.

He alleged that the IUML had been taking decisions on matters of governance from the first day of the government. People had voted for the UDF seeking a change after the “misrule, corruption, nepotism, and administrative collapse” of the Left Democratic Front government, he said.

“Instead of the new-age Keralam that was promised, people got power cuts and unemployment. Despite promising to extend the validity of PSC rank lists, the government did not do so. The Sabarimala inquiry was completely sabotaged. Now, the government is protecting Pinarayi Vijayan and his family,” he alleged.

Mr. Surendran further alleged that the government was creating conflicts to divert attention. “The people have gained nothing. Instead, the Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind have gained,” he said.

He also said that the government had backed down on the PM SHRI scheme under pressure from the IUML and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.