A day after the split in the Indian National League (INL), the two party factions were busy ensuring the support of party workers and leaders.
Following a scuffle between party workers in Kochi, leaders of the two factions expelled each other on Sunday and also claimed the support of party workers and leaders.
Dismissing reports of split in the organisation, the faction led by general secretary Kasim Irrikur maintained that the “Koduvally gang” and State president A.P. Abdul Wahab had been ousted. The party national president expelled Mr. Wahab and seven others and there was no split in the party, he said.
Party leaders and most of the workers from 13 districts, majority of the working committee and State committee members, and the frontal organisations were still with the party, Mr.Irrikur said. The faction also elected V. Hamza Haji as the working president.
The party would focus on the ongoing membership campaign. Strengthening and restructuring of the organisation was the agenda before the party, a constituent of the Left Democratic Front, as the term of the party committees had expired, said Mr.Irrikur.
Incidentally, Ports Minister Ahamed Devarkovil has aligned himself with the faction led by Mr.Irrikur .
At the same time, Mr. Wahab said the majority of party workers had pledged their support to the faction led by him. In districts where some leaders aligned themselves with the other faction, the majority of workers had joined hands with the organisation, he claimed.
Mr. Wahab, who expelled Mr.Irrikur from the post, said the all-India president’s decision to expel him from the party was unacceptable to him. Earlier too, the all-India president had expelled several party workers, which had been challenged inside the organisation.
He said the faction appointed C.P. Nasar as the new general secretary and decided to convene the State council on August 3 to decide on the course of action. A three-member committee had also been appointed to probe Sunday’s developments.
The police have booked cases against the organisers of the meeting for violating the COVID protocol.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Suleman, all-India president of the party, in a statement, said the party would not compromise on organisational discipline. Terming the developments on Sunday as shocking, Mr. Suleman said it was on a report of the State committee meeting of the party that the State president was removed from the post. Seven other leaders were expelled for boycotting the State secretariat meeting and creating a violent situation at the hotel where the meeting was held.
