KOZHIKODE: The ‘secret meeting’ between Muslim League national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty and his bete noire KT Jaleel, MLA, has ignited political discussions at different levels in the state. Both met at an industrialist’s house at Kuttippuram in Malappuram a month ago, reportedly at the instance of the League leader. It is said that Kunhalikutty has asked Jaleel not to rake up the alleged irregularities at the cooperative bank at AR Nagar in Malappuram again.
It is not known what Jaleel’s reaction was to the request, but sources said he has not outrightly refused to oblige to Kunhalikutty’s request.Jaleel had raised serious allegations against some illegal transaction in the bank. He said Kunhalikutty and his son had illegal investment in the bank. At one point of time, he even demanded a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He withdrew from the demand for the inquiry by the central agency after the CPM opposed it.
Jaleel had also levelled allegations against Lok Ayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph, saying he had helped Kunhalikutty in the ice-cream parlour case.Once a firebrand leader in Muslim Youth League, Jaleel quit the party after he fell out with Kunhalikutty.
He challenged Kunhalikutty’s dominance and contested the Kuttippuram assembly seat that was the pocket borough of Muslim League for a long time. Jaleel emerged the giant killer in the 2006 assembly elections after giving a rude jolt to Kunhalikutty with the support of the LDF. For over one decade, Jaleel was seen as the leader who questioned the dominance of the IUML in Malappuram and the ‘crusader against Kunhalikutty’s corruption’.
In the backdrop of the changes that happened in the IUML politics in the recent times, political observers are watching the developments closely. They feel the fact that Jaleel agreed to give an audience to Kunhalikutty itself is a significant development.
Reacting to the news on his meeting with Jaleel, Kunhalikutty said there is nothing wrong in two political leaders meeting each other. “We may be having difference of opinions in politics, but that does not mean there should not be personal relations,” he said. IUML state general secretary P M A Salam also discounted political motive in the meeting of the two leaders.