KOZHIKODE: For the first time in the party’s recent history, the IUML state president is finding it hard to reach a consensus within the party on choosing its state general secretary. A day before the party’s state council meeting, Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal summoned party leaders to Malappuram on Friday and held parleys with them. Opinion is divided between P M A Salam, who has been holding the charge for the past two years, and Dr M K Muneer, the current state secretary.
Sources said the all-powerful national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty has thrown his weight behind Salam. Kunhalikutty, who resigned from the Lok Sabha to get actively involved in the state politics, also had an eye on the post. But he is keeping away for the time being, sensing the mood of the rank and file, they said.
Muneer, Kunhalikutty’s arch-rival in the party, has resolved to throw his hat in the ring and is actively campaigning for the post.
Muneer has reportedly declared that he is even ready for an election if Salam or Kunhalikutty is chosen for the post. K M Shaji, whose graph has risen phenomenally in the party recently, is standing firm behind Muneer.
No confusion in IUML, says Thangal
Shaji is hugely popular among the youth in the party after he decided to lash out at the CPM.
Of late, the Shaji-Muneer duo has been targeting the CPM with a precise gameplan. While Kunhalikutty was toying with the idea of taking IUML to the LDF fold, these two were busy portraying the CPM as a party with the ulterior motive of ‘promoting liberalism and atheism’. The strategy seems to have worked as majority of the IUML cadre even shun the idea of aligning with the CPM.
But Kunhalikutty is a leader who is known for his ability to spring surprises at the most unexpected times and stay afloat in politics. The chance of a third name emerging as part of a compromise formula also cannot be ruled out.
However, Sadiq Ali Thangal told reporters in Malappuram that there is no confusion in the IUML and that contesting for the organisational posts is not a party practice. He expressed the hope that all office-bearers will be selected unanimously. There are around 490 members in the council, which will elect the state office-bearers, the secretariat and the working committee members. P M A Salam was made the acting general secretary after K P A Majeed got elected to the Assembly in 2021.