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Alappuzha municipal vice-chairman: uncertainty continues

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA NOV. 14. The political fate of S B Basheer of the IUML who was elected vice-chairman of Alappuzha municipality on November 11 with the help of the BJP remains uncertain, as the Muslim League leadership has indicated that Mr Basheer would have to resign.

It has not been confirmed whether the league leadership had formally directed Mr Basheer to submit his resignation, but yesterday, the IUML State general secretary, Korambayil Ahmed Haji, indicated that Mr Basheer would have to resign. The statement of Mr Haji appeared in the party mouthpiece The Chandrika today.

Sources in the IUML said Mr Basheer was planning to meet league supreme, Panakkad Syed Muhammed Ali Shihab Tangal, to apprise him of the situation. There are reports that the district leadership of the league is divided in the issue. Reports said the Youth League leaders headed by former municipal vice-chairman, A M Nazeer, was strictly against efforts to solicit the help of the BJP.

But there are sections in the League who believe that the party had not done justice to Mr Basheer who had been the councillor for more than 20 years. Though, Mr Basheer had held many responsible positions in the parliamentary party of the League including that of leader of the League parliamentary party in the municipal council, an younger leader was considered for the post of vice-chairman this time. It is not known whether Mr Basheer would resign even if the party leadership asks him to do so. Reports said the LDF, opposition in the municipal council, was closely watching the situation. According to sources in the LDF if Mr Basheer refuses to resign it would provide an opportunity to the LDF to gain influence among the Muslim community in the Alappuzha town by supporting Mr Basheer.

Mr Basheer has been the councillor of Zakharia Bazar area here, a place where the Muslim community is in brute majority, for a very long period and he has considerable influence in the community. Sections in the front think that it would be beneficial for the front to support Mr Basheer in case he was ousted from the League.

The vice-chairman election has opened a Pandora's box for the Congress in the municipal council. A councillor of the Congress, Lalasan who had abstained from voting was ousted from the party yesterday. There had been allegations that the former municipal chairperson of the Congress had a role in Mr Lalason's failure to vote. It is learnt that a meeting of the I-group in the Congress has discussed the issue in detail.

Meanwhile, a section of the Congress had filed a police complaint yesterday regarding the missing of the minute's book of the municipality. Sources said the DCC president who had supported the action was restrained by the state leadership today.

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