KOZHIKODE: The proceedings of the state council of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) that met in Kozhikode on Saturday to elect new office-bearers left no one in doubt as to who is running the show in the party. IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty emerged as the unchallenged leader after the meeting, trouncing the joint fight put up by his detractors, Dr M K Muneer and K M Shaji.
The dust and din created by Muneer and Shaji outside party forums had created an impression that Kunhalikutty will have a tough time pushing his nominees. But contrary to expectations, it was smooth sailing for Kunhalikutty in the state council meeting, with not a single voice raised against him. His nominee P M A Salam, who has been holding the charge of the general secretary for the past two years, will continue in the post for four more years.
Names of office-bearers passed unanimously: Salam
A pall of gloom descended on the anti-Kunhalikutty camp after it became clear that his writ runs large in the party and Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, the party president, too will stay with him. “All the party machinery is still in the control of Kunhalikutty. He can take the party in any direction he wants,” a senior leader told TNIE.
Observers feel that Muneer and Shaji failed to gauge the sentiments of those elected to the state council and district leadership. The majority of the middle-level leaders are reluctant to experiment with Muneer at the helm and wanted the status quo to be maintained. They expressed doubt whether Muneer can run the party actively considering his failing health.
While Muneer has been accommodated in the state secretariat, Shaji remains in the position he held earlier. Former ‘Chandrika’ editor C P Saidalavi has been made one of the vice presidents and advocate Ahmed Shah, who is handling the legal matters of the party, has been inducted among the state secretaries. M C Vadakara, the historian of the party, has been included in the state secretariat.
Women’s League leaders Adv Noobina Rasheed, Adv Khulsu and Suhra Mambad are the permanent invitees in the secretariat along with Youth League state general secretary P K Firos and MSF state president P K Navas.
Emerging out of the meeting, an elated Salam took a dig at the media which speculated on the selection of the office-bearers. “Sadiq Ali Thangal had consulted the newly-district leaders and state office-bearers of the party to seek their opinion yesterday (Friday). Thangal also had deliberations with top leaders of the party today,” he said. “E T Muhammad Basheer read out the list of office-bearers with the permission of returning officer Kunhalikutty and the council passed it unanimously,” Salam said.
Meanwhile, party president Sadiq Ali Thangal has expelled K S Hamza from the party for ‘serious violation of party discipline.’ Hamza was placed under suspension and the decision to expel him was taken after the recommendation of the committee that inquired into the allegations, said a statement.