Chandy informs Congress decision to Kunhalikutty

KANNUR: As the issue of giving a fifth ministerial berth  to the Muslim League remained in limbo, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and League leader P K Kunhalikutty had a closed-door discussion at the Government Guest House here on Tuesday morning.The Chief Minister reportedly had told the Muslim League leader that, going by the decision of the Congress High Command, one more berth in the state Cabinet couldn’t be given to the Muslim League.It was made clear to the Muslim League that the UDF could consider giving a ‘fifth post’, either that of the Speaker or a Rajya Sabha seat instead of a ministerial berth, according to sources.The Chief Minister wasn’t ready to disclose any thing about his secret meeting with Kunhalikutty except stating that  he hadn’t changed his earlier stance on the issue.P K Kunhalikutty, who came out of the guest house after the secret talks with Oommen Chandy refused to speak on what transpired at the secret meeting. His stock reply was that the issue would be settled within two days.The Chief Minister had to inaugurate a series of projects and programmes, but he had to spend more than fifteen minutes at the guest house to discuss the ‘fifth minister’ issue with Kunhalikutty.