MALAPPURAM: Amid controversies, IUML Malappuram district president and member of Panakkad family, Syed Abbasali Thangal, inaugurated the Pothukal panchayat convention of UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath in Nilambur. Abbasali Thangal arrived to inaugurate the panchayat convention amid controversy over Panakkad Thangal’s family not attending Monday’s UDF constituency convention. Muslim Youth League state president Syed Munnavvar Ali Thangal had also stayed away from the convention.
All prominent leaders of the UDF, including League leaders, attended the constituency convention held on Monday. Nobody else from the Panakkad family was deputed to participate as League state president, Sadiqali Shihab Thangal, is on Hajj pilgrimage.
There are indications that the members of the Thangal family kept away as UDF leaders failed to invite them to the convention. There were speculations that Panakkad family members stayed away from the function deliberately because of the friction between Aryadan Shoukath and the Panakkad family.
However, Abbasali denied all speculations, but admitted that there was a communication gap. “Misleading news was circulating the other day. I had another programme to attend, and I had informed the leadership about that. Everyone will be actively campaigning for the UDF,” Abbasali Thangal told the media.
Aryadan Shoukath is a person who has already taken a stand against the Panakkad Thangal family. Therefore, the LDF gave political colour to the absence of Panakkad Thangal family from the convention.