The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has chosen its national president E. Ahamed and national secretary E.T. Mohammed Basheer to contest once again from Malappuram and Ponnani respectively in the April 10 Lok Sabha elections.
Party State president Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal announced the candidature of Mr. Ahamed and Mr. Basheer at a media conference held at Thangal’s house at Panakkad, near here, on Monday, putting to rest all speculations raised by the media.
The declaration of the candidates followed a meeting of the IUML State secretariat and the State working committee at Kozhikode. IUML Parliamentary Party leader P.K. Kunhalikutty said the rumours spread by sections of the media against Mr. Ahamed’s candidature were baseless. “It was a baseless creation of the media,” he said.
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Mr. Kunhalikutty said that the party decided to field its senior-most leader Mr. Ahamed after considering various aspects, including his standing in national politics. He said the party badly needed the experience and skills of Mr. Ahamed now.
Mr. Kunhalikutty said that only a senior and experienced leader like Mr. Ahamed could play a vital role in strengthening the UPA at the Centre.
He said that the seniority and experience of Mr. Ahamed would be useful in keeping the BJP at bay. The UDF would put up a good show in the upcoming elections, he said.
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IUML district president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, State general secretary K.P.A. Majeed, former MP, P.V. Abdul Wahab, Abdurahman Randathani, MLA, and P. Ubaidulla, MLA, were also present at the press briefing.
Sources close to Mr. Thangal said that unlike the past, he chose to declare the candidates soon after the IUML’s leadership meeting at the highest level as a strategy to thwart a possible negative media blitzkrieg against the party.