Malappuram: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has raised a demand with the ruling DMK for a Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu in a bid to increase the number of party members in the Parliament to six. Besides three Lok Sabha members, the IUML has one Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala currently.
IUML national president K M Kader Mohideen said the party had a Rajya Sabha member from Tamil Nadu with the support of the DMK for around 30 years since 1952. Since 1980, the IUML has not gotten a Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu.
“We have informed the DMK about allocating one Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu to the IUML. Discussions in this regard have only begun and we hope it goes positively,” Kader Mohideen said.
IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said the party is growing. “We will get an extra seat in the Rajya Sabha from Kerala in July. We have requested for a seat from Tamil Nadu. We expect a favourable decision from the DMK,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Congress promised the IUML that the party would get a second Rajya Sabha seat. It was also agreed between the UDF allies that the seat would be an additional one and that the present seat, held by IUML national treasurer P V Abdul Wahab, would not be taken back once his tenure is over.
