UDF leaders flock to capital expecting landslide victory

T'puram/Kozhikode: UDF leaders exuded confidence about the prospects of the front in the assembly polls on the eve of the counting day. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, leader of opposition V D Satheesan and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala are expected to reach Thiruvananthapuram by Sunday night. KPCC president Sunny Joseph and senior leader K Sudhakaran will arrive in the capital on Monday. All key leaders are set to be present in the capital on the day of counting. AICC general secretary in-charge of Kerala, Deepa Das Munshi, is already camping in Thiruvananthapuram. Special arrangements have been made at Indira Bhavan, the KPCC headquarters, for leaders to monitor the counting process. Chennithala said UDF is expecting a strong victory. Congress leader K Babu expressed confidence of a decisive win for Congress in Tripunithura. He claimed that CPM is likely to face defeat and said BJP votes could be crucial in constituencies like Kalamassery. KPCC working president P C Vishnunath said a UDF wave would be visible in the state once the results are declared. He said he expects a bigger victory margin in Kundara and added that the chief minister would be decided quickly if UDF forms the govt. UDF candidate from Aranmula Abin Varkey said people across communities are hoping for a UDF govt, and expressed confidence of securing a comfortable majority in Aranmula. CM decision is Cong's prerogative: IUMLMeanwhile, IUML leader Panakkad Munavvarali Shihab Thangal said it is for the Congress to decide its chief ministerial candidate and IUML would support whoever the party chooses. "Once UDF secures a majority, the chief minister's post belongs to Congress and the party has the freedom to select a person for the post," Thangal said. Asked whether IUML believes V D Satheesan should become chief minister, Thangal said the party would not like to comment on the matter. "It is for the Congress to decide their candidate. We will stand with whoever they select," he said. On the possibility of P K Kunhalikutty being considered for the deputy chief minister's post, Thangal said League would not stake any claim and preferred not to engage in such talks.