THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Samastha Kerala Jamat Ulema, the ideological fountain head of the Indian Union Muslim League, is slowly drifting away from the party.Samastha, which was in an open fight with the Kanthapuram AP faction of the Sunnis, is slowly coming to terms with them and sources in Samastha indicated both the Sunni factions are in serious discussions to level up the opposition.It may be recalled the fight among the Sunnis spilled over on to the streets with around nine people losing their lives on both sides.
Ummer Faisi Mukkam, firebrand leader of SKSSF, told Express “We are in discussions with Kanthapuram faction and the talks are progressing. However, during Ramzan, there was a lull and we will continue this. To start with, some mosques and other institutions which were closed owing to issues will start functioning.”This is quite an important development in Muslim politics.
Samastha had a major issue with the Muslim League some months ago when Muslim League leaders Rashid Ali Thangal and Munavar Ali Thangal, both active members of Samastha, attended the Mujahid conclave even after the Samastha leadership had asked them not to do so. Both were reprimanded by the Samastha. The duo is in the top leadership of the Muslim League and this led to a major feud between the Samastha and the League.
The coming of Jifri Muthukoya Thangal as president of Samastha Kerala Jamat Ulema has altered the power equations Samastha has with the Muslim League.Jifri Thangal is seen in Muslim social circles as a tough taskmaster with no compromise on Sunni ideology and totally against Salafism and Wahabism.The Samastha Musavara (Executive) was generally held on the availability of Hyder Ali Thangal, president of Muslim League. After Jifri Thangal became president, he categorically told the general secretary of the organisation, Alikutty Musaliar — a close confidant of the Muslim League — that Musavara cannot be called according to the availability of Hyder Ali Thangal and to call it at regular intervals.
The young leaders of Samastha along with a major chunk of the Samastha Ulema do not want to play second fiddle to the Muslim League. Samastha has also proved what it can do against the Muslim League when in Tanur Assembly constituency during the 2016 Assembly elections, firebrand Muslim League leader Abdurahiman Randathany, a protege of Kunhalikutty and sitting MLA, was defeated.
It may be noted that in the 2011 Asembly elections, Randathany had won the seat by a margin of 9,433 votes while in the 2016 elections he lost by 4,918 votes. If the Samastha takes this stand in all the other constituencies in Malappuram, then it will be curtains down for the political dominance of the Muslim League, which the CPM is keenly watching.