The rift in the Indian Union Muslim League, which enjoys major support base in this northern district came to the fore as a group of party activists waylaid C. T. Ahemadali , who was nominated as district unit Treasurer, as the senior party leader was proceeding to receive party national President and Union Minister E. Ahmed at the railway station here on Sunday.
Apparently irked over the manner in which the State party leadership denied A. Abdul Rahman for the contentious post of district unit Secretary, a group of supporters of the senior leaders waylaid Mr. Ahmedali, who had represented the Kasaragod Assembly segment for six times in a row, near the clock town at Thayilangadi locality forcing the former MLA to retreat.
The supporters of Mr. Rahman vented out their anger towards Mr. Ahemadali, who is also nominated as SIDCO chairman after the UDF came to power, by shouting that he should not occupy in higher position by overlooking and ignoring the dedicated party leaders.
The brewing resentment within the party ranks in the district, where the IUML enjoys sizeable support, virtually shocked the state IUML leadership, which suspended five activists from the party for creating commotions during the crucial district council meeting held here on Saturday to arrive at consensus on the choice of nominees to the local party unit.
IUML chief Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal had taken the disciplinary action pending enquiry into the ruckus that followed the district council meeting held here on Saturday, party sources here said.
On learning that the panel suggested by the State party leadership was “unilateral”, the party workers were found charging up menacingly towards senior leaders like E. T. Mohammed Basheer and K. P. A. Majeed, for omitting the name of Mr. Rahman, whose victory by thin margin was rejected due to “technical reasons” by the presiding officer as the State party panel supported influential M. C. Khamaruddin for the contentious post of district unit Secretary.
The party activists who faced suspension are Youth League Kasaragod Mandalam President Hameed Bedira, Kasaragod Municipal Councillor Mohammed Kunhi Thayilangadi, Youth League Mandalam Joint Secretary Noushad Milad, Municipal Youth League Working Committee member Mujib Thayilangadi and party’s Fort Road branch President A. A. Aziz.
Reacting to the unprecedented developments in the party, E. Ahmed, who was here to inaugurate the function to mark the formal handing over of title deeds of 310 acre revenue land to the Central University of Kerala, played down the issue maintaining that the developments were confined only the party district unit and the State IUML leadership had initiated action against those who were instrumental in creating unruly scenes during the crucial district council meeting on Saturday.
