Kozhikode: Former Koduvally MLA Karat Razak is all set to join the Indian National League (INL).
Razak said the final decision regarding joining the INL would be taken after getting the go-ahead from the CPM, which leads the Left Democratic Front.
“INL minister Ahmed Devarkovil and INL state general secretary Kasim Irikkur approached me. But I cannot join any party without the permission of CPM. Hence I have informed them about my decision,” he stated.
“There was a big conspiracy behind my defeat in Koduvally constituency in the last assembly elections. I realised soon after the elections that there was a big erosion of votes in the constituency,” he said.
Despite lodging a complaint with the CPM regarding the erosion of votes, he suspects that no action was taken.
Muslim League leader Dr M K Muneer had defeated Razak by a margin of 6,344 votes in the Legislative Assembly election held last summer.
Razak, who had quit the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), had successfully contested as a Left-backed Independent candidate from the Koduvally seat in the 2016 state polls.
Razak, who was active with the League, changed floors at the last moment after he was denied a party ticket in 2016. With the Left backing him, he defeated MA Razak of the League by a slender margin of 573 votes. However, in early 2019 the Kerala High Court disqualified Razak on a petition filed by Koduvally voter KP Muhammed. The petition alleged that Razak had circulated videos aimed at defaming his opponent IUML candidate Razak during the poll campaign.
However, the HC stayed its own order for 30 days after Razak sought time to file an appeal in the Supreme Court. The HC said that while Razak can take part in the Assembly sessions, he cannot vote or avail salary or other benefits.
The Koduvally Assembly constituency has the unique distinction of backing either Muslim League candidates or dissidents who had left the party, ever since the segment's formation in 1977.
