THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: P K Kunhalikutty, the all-powerful national general secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League, is facing a revolt from within the party. Many leaders feel the Malappuram MP, who is also close to the Thangal family, is only promoting his loyalists and is sidelining those who opposes him.
Party sources say leaders such as ET Mohammed Basheer, M K Muneer, K M Shaji, P V Abdul Wahab and P K Abdu Rabb have come together to oppose Kunhalikutty. These leaders know Kunhalikutty can manipulate any equation and bulldoze his way into the party hierarchy and are cautious in their approach.M K Muneer and P K Abdu Rabb have emerged as the possible alternative, sources said. Senior party leaders does not want to project Muneer, the son of the illustrious leader C H Mohammed Koya, as they feel the trust deficit might affect his leadership.
Abdu Rabb, on the other hand, has emerged the favourite due to his low profile and sincerity. Rabb, the son of former League leader Avukader Kutty Naha, is also closer to party supremo Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal.
Rabb was the Malappuram district secretary of the party when Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal was its president. When Kunhalikutty tried to oust Rabb from the list of ticket hopefuls during the last Assembly election, Thangal intervened. You can decide on any other candidate but Abdu Rabb is the first name on the list”, he is reported to have told Kunhalikutty.
Other members of the Thangal family including Munavar Ali Thangal and Sadik Ali Thangal also support Rabb, party sources said.This has led other leaders lining behind him in the fight against Kunhalikutty.A senior MLA, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Express, "We thought Kunhalikutty would settle in Delhi after his election to the Lok Sabha. But he is still meddling in Kerala affairs and we have to form a separate group to fight him.”
Leaders revolting against Kunhalikutty know that coming out in the open against such a powerful leader would be suicidal and that they have to win the fight at any cost. Political observers believe League politics in the state would depend on the outcome of this manoeuvre.