KOZHIKODE: Amid the sparring controversy over corruption allegation and factional feud, Indian National League (INL) has expelled state secretariat member E C Muhammed from the party. The ouster is after Muhammed came up with an allegation that INL sold out Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) member post allotted to the party for Rs 40 lakh.
INL state president A P Abdul Wahab confirmed the expulsion decision. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has summoned INL state president and general secretary for talks on Wednesday as internal squabbles got strengthened in the party. A portion of National Secular Conference (NSC), which merged with INL in 2019 has been now revived and pitted against the official INL group which is led by state general secretary Kasim Irikkur. At the same time, state president Abdul Wahab too is dissatisfied with Irikkur. Tapping the occasion, NSC group is trying to project Wahab against Irikkur, according to a source.
A former NSC leader, E C Muhammed raised the corruption allegation at the state meet held in Kozhikode a few days ago. The allegation brought the factional feud issue to the fore. In between, there is allegation that NSC former leader and Kunnamangalam MLA P T A Rahim is pulling the strings for NSC group within INL as he is dissatisfied over INL becoming the Muslim face of LDF and a first-time MLA, Ahammed Devarkovil, becoming the minister.
“The allegation made by Muhammed is a blatant lie. We have a method to select an able KPSC member and it was after scrutinising 15 people, we came upon Abdu Samad. In the whole 27-year-old political life of INL, no such thing took place. Muhammed came to party only two years ago and seldom attended party meetings,” said Kasim Irikkur.
He denied that Rahim is behind the NSC group. NSC group also raises the grievance that the conditions agreed upon three years ago during the merger were not complied with. Meanwhile sources indicate that INL state president is also irked over the manner in which the personal staff to Devarkovil was appointed without properly discussing in party. Reports indicate that district CPM leadership is also irked over Devarkovil not paying attention to them.