The Congress‑led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala is facing a public test of unity after UDF convener Adoor Prakash on Friday, 2 October 2026, reiterated his grievance over a perceived lack of consensus on key political appointments. Mr Prakash, speaking to reporters in Pathanamthitta, said he would raise his concerns with the All India Congress Committee, citing the government’s decision to appoint Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader M.K. Muneer as chairperson of the Administrative Reforms Commission and Forward Bloc national general secretary G. Devarajan as Kerala’s special representative in New Delhi as examples of Cabinet‑rank posts made without adequate UDF consultation.
Mr Prakash stressed that he was not questioning the merit of the appointees but highlighting the critical absence of due consultation within the UDF on decisions that could have political ramifications for the government. He dismissed claims by Congress cabinet ministers that the UDF had been kept in the loop, noting that the UDF had met only once since the government took office, on 31 July, and attributing the infrequent meetings to the Chief Minister’s busy schedule and the state’s floods and landslides. When asked whether Kerala Congress chairperson P.J. Joseph had complained about being passed over for the Administrative Reforms Commission post, Mr Prakash declined to elaborate.
Meanwhile, M.K. Muneer told reporters in Kozhikode that he felt “pained” that some quarters had portrayed his appointment as a capitulation to the IUML. He added that he had not staked any claim to the post and that the Chief Minister communicated the decision after the Cabinet meeting. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also entered the fray, with senior leader V. Muraleedharan criticizing the government’s overtures to the IUML. He alleged that Chief Minister K. R. Satheesan “backhandedly acquiesced” to the IUML’s demand for a sixth Cabinet post by appointing Muneer, and that the party had been “punching above its weight.” Muraleedharan warned that the IUML’s influence could undermine Kerala’s social balance and described the Administrative Reforms Commission post as ornamental and an unnecessary burden on the public exchequer. CPI(M) leaders were not immediately available for comment on the issue, which could further destabilise intra‑UDF and Congress politics in the state.
