Discontentment has begun brewing in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) since State president Sayed Hyderali Shihab
Thangal announced the party candidates for the Assembly election on Friday. When some expressed their displeasure, some others have threatened to defeat the party candidate.
Veteran State general secretary K.P.A. Majeed is facing opposition from the party in Tirurangadi. A large group of party workers from Tirurangadi reached Panakkad on Saturday and met the State and district presidents of the party. The protesters registered their opposition to Mr. Majeed’s candidacy in Tirurangadi.
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They said they wanted a candidate from Tirurangadi constituency, preferably P.M.A. Salam. Mr. Salam’s name had been tipped for Tirurangadi. Inclusion of Mr. Majeed after dropping Mr. Salam has triggered widespread rancour among the party workers in Tirurangadi.
When Mr. Hyderali Thangal gave them a patient ear, IUML district president Sadikali Shihab Thangal told them that the decision could not be changed. Mr. Thangal expressed his displeasure when the protesters arrived with a few TV channel journalists.
“We will defeat Majeed Sahib. We have nothing personal against him. But we don’t want him in Tirurangadi,” they said.
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Meanwhile, rumours were rife about fielding a strong rebel candidate against Mr. Majeed in Tirurangadi. The CPI had announced Ajit Koladi as its candidate in Tirurangadi. Talks were on between parties and groups about capitalising on the discontentment over Mr. Majeed’s candidacy.
In the 2016 Assembly elections, IUML’s incumbent P.K. Abdu Rabb had a tough time winning against LDF independent Niyas Pulikkalakath. Mr. Rabb’s victory margin had plunged to 6,043, the lowest ever in this League bastion. The IUML had lost nearly 12 per cent vote share in 2016.
Election watchers point out that a strong independent candidate with a fair amount of dissidence within the IUML can seal the fate of Mr. Majeed in Tirurangadi.
A section of party workers took out a protest demonstration in Edappal expressing their disappointment for the denial of seat for IUML State vice president C.P. Bava Haji.
Mr. Haji’s name was reportedly removed from the IUML list at the last minute. Disappointed at the party’s snub, Mr. Haji said that his 48 years of service for the IUML had gone unacknowledged. “I will decide what to do later,” he said.