Malappuram: The Muslim League state leadership is meeting on Saturday for the second time in a week to deal with unprecedented challenges before the party.
The party is confronted with mainly three major issues — demand by a section for leadership change, the deft political moves by the CPM to weaken the Muslim League's standing as the dominant voice of the community in Kerala and last but not the least the open attack unleashed by MueenAli Shihab Thangal, who is the son of party state president Panakkad Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal, against party strongman and legislator P K Kunhalikutty.
While the first two challenges were anticipated by the party and it had initiated steps to deal with them accordingly, the meeting taking place today will focus mainly on Mueen Ali's open attack on Kunhalikutty. While replying to a question about whether important decisions are expected to be taken at the meeting, a senior leader on condition of anonymity gave a reply which gave enough hints. "No one is above the party. No one will be allowed to tarnish the party's image in public," he said.
The party has realised that after retaining power, CPM is trying to deliberately weaken Muslim League's influence in the community. The leaders directed all top party office bearers to rush to Panakkad for the meeting on Saturday with the objective of resolving all issues at the earliest.
Why Kunhalikutty has become a polarising figure
The general mood in the party was not about keeping Kunhalikutty out but against the manner in which everything was being centred around one person which many felt is unacceptable.
Earlier, differences had surfaced in the Muslim League over the manner in which the decision was taken to get Kunhalikutty to resign as MP and field him in the assembly polls. Besides, the criteria adopted for selecting candidates for the assembly polls.
Kunhalikutty who arrived in Malappuram on Friday was closeted with party leaders including the members of Panakkad Thangal's family. All these developments are taking place at a time when allegations pertaining to the financial irregularities of certain leaders are being debated hotly within the organisation.
There is also widespread resentment and displeasure in the party over the allegations of corruption connected with the Palarivattom flyover and money laundering levelled against senior leaders of the Muslim League.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued notice to Panakkad Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal in connection with the allegation that the illegal money received in Palarivattom corruption was used for money laundering through the account of party mouthpiece Chandrika.
Kunhalikutty has been handling the party funds for the past four decades. Mueen Ali had alleged there was no statement of accounts of the funds spent for Kunhalikutty's elections. There are widespread complaints about the financial transactions of a person who had risen to the post of Finance Director of Chandrika. He was appointed in Chandrika as per the wishes of a senior Muslim League leader.
After joining Chandrika he became the director of 10 companies within a short span of time.
Hyder Ali Thangal fails to appear before ED
Kozhikode: Panakkad Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Friday.
Chandrika finance director P M A Sameer will appear before the ED on August 13 in connection with the notice issued by the agency seeking details of the accounts of the party mouthpiece.
Controversy over Thangal's letter
A section in the Muslim League has leaked out a letter to prove that Mueen Ali had the right to take part in the official press conference of Chandrika newspaper held here the other day.
A section of League leaders had accused Thangal of intruding into Chandrika's press conference held at the Muslim League headquarters — The League House.
Following these allegations, the rival faction released the letter written by Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal in his own handwriting which empowered Mueen Ali to intervene in the matters of Chandrika. "Mueen Ali has been deputed to resolve the issues concerning Chandrika. Sameer and the management should hold discussions and settle all liabilities within a month," the letter said.
Mueen Ali intervened in the Chandrika issue after this letter was issued on March 5.
