MALAPPURAM: Discontent is brewing within the IUML over what its leaders perceive as a lack of political support from its senior UDF partner, the Congress, with the registration of a police case against a Panakkad family member, and the absence of key Congress leaders from the MYL state conference adding to the strain.
The developments have triggered criticism within the League, with sections of the leadership viewing the police action against MYL state president Panakkad Sayyid Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal and other senior leaders over traffic disruption during the conference in Kochi as an unusual move against a prominent political family. The resentment has also brought into focus the perceived political fallout of the League’s support for Chief Minister V D Satheesan during the recent chief minister post tussle.
IUML leaders have openly expressed their displeasure over the police case, expecting the home department to intervene and drop the proceedings against its leaders.
“Yes, it is true that it is very unusual to register a police case against someone from the Panakkad family. We hope the home department will take steps to correct the action. We had obtained all necessary permissions from the police to hold the rally.
We even changed the route from Kaloor Stadium to Bolgatty Palace, respecting the suggestions of the police and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. However, the police offered little cooperation. In fact, our white volunteers did more work than the police. Had the police performed their duties properly, this situation would not have arisen,” IUML state vice-president P Abdul Hameed Master told TNIE.
MYL national general secretary Shibu Meeran alleged that sections of the police had deliberately failed to manage the rally. “We wonder whether some officers within the police force actually wished for the rally not to go well.
Otherwise, they could have easily managed the situation by deploying an adequate number of officers. The case is merely a staged act to shift the blame onto an organisation that had readily accepted every suggestion put forward by the police.
Our workers faced several difficulties by following those suggestions, and the rally was cut short. Yet, the entire blame is now being placed on us,” he wrote on Facebook.
The League’s discontent has also been fuelled by the absence of senior Congress leaders from the conference, with Satheesan being the notable exception. The absence of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Sports Minister O J Janeesh, in particular despite invitation, sparked speculation.
Chennithala’s office said he had intended to attend the conference but was delayed by official engagements in his constituency, Haripad. By the time he reached Kochi, the proceedings he was scheduled to attend had concluded. Meanwhile Chennithala had initially praised the Youth League for changing the rally route to ease traffic congestion. However, he later maintained that legal proceedings would follow in connection with the case registered over traffic obstruction.
Hameed said the League leadership had waited until the last minute for Chennithala to attend the conference. “When he did not arrive, I contacted him. He told me that he was delayed due to official commitments. We have no reason to disbelieve him,” he said.
However, a senior Congress leader belonging to the Satheesan camp alleged that sections opposed to the CM were attempting to settle scores with the IUML for backing Satheesan in the leadership tussle. “The Congress cannot afford to alienate the League, particularly if it wants to retain its Lok Sabha seats in the state,” the leader said.
