MALAPPURAM: In what is being interpreted as a loud, clear and blunt message, members of the revered Panakkad Thangal family didn’t show up for the election convention of UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath in Nilambur on Monday. The no-show has embarrassed the Opposition front, already mired in one controversy after another.
No one from the family turned up for the convention though at least two key members were in Malappuram. IUML state president Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal is in Saudi Arabia for Haj. In his absence, it was normal practice to depute Malappuram district president Syed Abbas Ali Shihab Thangal for important functions. Syed Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal, state president of the Muslim Youth League, also stayed away from the function.
CPM was quick to react to the development forcing the UDF on to the back foot. “No one from the Panakkad family turned up for the UDF convention. Neither did (senior leaders) Sudhakaran and Ramesh Chennithala,” CPM central committee member P K Sreemathy posted on Facebook. “Can the Panakkad family campaign for a candidate who abused Thangal?” asked Bineesh Kodiyeri, the son of former CPM state secretary late Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, in another social media post
Realising the danger, the UDF leadership sprang into action and launched a firefighting mission, announcing that Abbas Ali Thangal would inaugurate Shoukath’s road show on Tuesday.
“Don’t spread baseless allegations. Thangal did not stay away from the convention,” IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty told reporters. The friction between the Panakkad family and Shoukath has been a point of discussion ever since the UDF candidate was announced.
Pinarayi insulted Sadiq Ali Thangal, claims Venugopal
Shoukath has in the past stated that members of the Panakkad family should be arrested for practising spiritual healing. Trinamool candidate P V Anvar had raked up the remark saying that Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and Shoukath pay scant regard for the Panakkad family, who was held in high esteem in the Muslim community.
One of the first things Shoukath did after being named the candidate was visit the Panakkad family and seek their blessings. He refused to react to the old controversy despite repeatedly being pressed by reporters.
Seeking to turn the tables on the CPM, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had insulted Sadiq Ali Thangal. “Pinarayi said that as president of a party, Thangal should not support extremists,” he said.
Venugopal said party president is not the sole position Thangal holds in society. He rushes to places to douse the fire whenever there were communal tensions, he said. In his address, Kunhalikutty said though Sadiq Ali Thangal is on Haj, he is in constant touch with local party workers for updates on the election campaign.
Asset tracker
M Swaraj (LDF)
Assets: E63.9 lakh (own);
E1.41 cr (wife).
Cash in hand: E1,200 (own); E550 (wife)
Debt: E9 lakh (own);
E25.46 lakh (wife)
His partner owns two cars (Ford Figo worth E4.14 lakh, Jeep Meridian worth E36 lakh) and 200g of gold.
Aryadan Shoukath
(UDF)
Assets: E8.14 cr (own);
E4.06 cr (wife)
Cash in hand: E12,000 (own); E8,000 (wife)
Debt: E71.82 lakh (own); E1.49 cr (wife)
He and wife own 0.0875 acres and 21.27 acres of agri land, respectively. He has a property worth E1 cr. His wife owns a car worth E6 lakh & has 800g of gold
P V Anvar
(TMC)
Assets: E52.21 cr (own);
E11.27 cr (two partners), including immovable assets of E44 cr
Cash in hand:
E25,000 and
E10,000 each (two partners)
Debt: E20.6 cr (Own)
Anvar owns one car (Innova worth E16.45 lakh). His partners hold 1.2 kg of gold each
Mohan George (NDA)
Movable asset: E46.9 lakh Immovable asset: E1.10 crore
Partner’s asset E1.13 crore (total)