Dropping one of the two state general secretary posts, the newly formed state council of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) unanimously elected K P A Majeed as the new general secretary at its meeting in Kozhikode on Sunday.
Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal will continue as the president of the party in the state. E T Mohammed Basheer MP, who stepped down from the general secretary post, would now don the role of “an official spokesperson” of the party. P K K Bava will be the new treasurer. Briefing the decisions of the state council meeting, Basheer and Majeed told reporters that the 400-member working council has unanimously elected 13-member state committee and upgraded the present Parliamentary Board to a high-power committee, which would be accountable to the state council. Hyderali Shibab Thangal, E Ahamed, P K Kunhalikutty, E T Mohammed Basheer and K P A Majeed will be members of the high-power committee in which IUML Malappuram president Sadiqali Shihab Thangal will be a permanent invitee.
“The high-power committee will have the responsibility to take quick decisions regarding all issues including policy matters. P K Kunhalikutty will supervise the organisational activities of the party and act as a liaison man with other parties in the UDF. I have been entrusted with the duty of communicating party decisions to the media and to look after the welfare and charity activities of the party,” Basheer said.
Asked about him quitting from the general secretary post, Basheer said, “Election of two state general secretaries in the state committee was only an adhoc arrangment. Now, a 400-member state council has been formed through a democratic process and there is no need for two general secretary posts.” Basheer and Majeed were made secretaries last year when Minister P K Kunhalikutty stepped down from the general secretary post as part of implementing “one-man, one-post” norm soon after the elections.
Basheer also denied allegations that two general secretary system was abandoned due to inconvenience faced by the party as contradictory statements were made by two leaders on the same issue.
Other state committee members are: vice-presidents - C T Ahamedali (Kasargod), M I Thangal (Malappuram), V K Abdul Khader Maoulavi (Kannur), P H Abdulsalam Haji (Kottayam) and K Kutty Ahamed Kutty (Malappuram); secretaries - M C Mayin Haji (Kozhikode), PMA Salam (Malappuram), T P M Sahir (Kozhikode), P V Abdul Wahab (Malappuram) and T M Saleem (Idukki).