E. Ahamed. File photo: ManoramaBe it the President of Egypt or a shop owner in Malappuram, E. Ahamed had a secret weapon to get everyone on his side: his sweet disarming smile. The Muslim League leader won election after election in various constituencies in Kerala and talked his way through international summits with the same panache.
Ahamed could spot an opportunity in times of crisis. He was one of the few leaders who would dare to carry on with his job even when he faced an election back home. While most of the UPA leaders were working tirelessly to guard their forts in 2009, Ahamed flew to Saudi Arabia to ensure a smooth Haj pilgrimage and Cuba to rub shoulder with world leaders as the minister of state for external affairs.
Read also: Gujarat or Kashmir, Ahamed never minced his words
Ahamed was a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly for 17 years until 1991, when his party wanted him to move his base to New Delhi. He was Kerala’s industries minister from 1982 to 1987 and was set to be the deputy chief minister in 1991 when he shifted to national politics.
The internal squabbles within the party, however, proved a blessing in disguise for Ahamed. He made himself indispensable at the national scene. He raised India’s voice in the United Nations General Assembly 10 times between 1991 and 2014.
He chaired various Parliamentary committees including those for Parliamentary assurance and food management and topped his career with a berth in the Central ministry in 2004. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the eternal affairs ministry. He was a natural choice to look after the needs of the expatriate community.
Ahamed’s stint in New Delhi continued longer than anyone expected. He was always on the move, earning him the moniker “Flying Saucer”. C H Muhammed Koya nailed it when he gave Ahamed the funny nickname.
Ahamed and his party played a crucial role in keeping the Muslims aligned with the UPA government when it signed the nuclear agreement in 2008. The Congress gave a patient listening to its partner’s apprehensions and did enough to allay the concerns of the community.
The UPA could overcome the Muslim card played by the Left parties.
Ahamed was born into a merchant family in Kannur on April 29, 1938, as the second son of Ovintakath Abdul Khader Hajee and Edappakath Nafeeza Beevi. He was an ardent footballer and an eager journalist.
He worked as a reporter for the party mouthpiece Chandrika and later rose to the rank of executive director.
Ahamed went to Brennan College in Thalassery and the Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram.
He practiced law in the district court in Thalassery and the Kerala High Court in Kochi before choosing a career in politics.
Ahamed was brought to the center of attraction as the first general secretary of Muslim League’s student association, Muslim Students’ Federation.
He made his debut in the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967 when he was elected from Kannur. He was later elected from Koduvally in 1977 and Thanoor in 1980, 1982 and 1987. He was chosen as the industries minister in 1982.
He was the founder-chairman of the State Rural Development Board which was formed in 1971. He also served as the executive chairman of the Kerala Small Industries Development Corporation. He served as the Kannur municipal chairman from 1981-83.
Ahamed was elected to the Lok Sabha from Manjeri for four consecutive terms starting 1991. In 2004, he shifted to Ponnani and held fort when the United Democratic Front faced a humiliating rout in Kerala. After the constituency delimitation, he chose to contest from Malappuram, from where he was elected in 2009 and 2014. He won Malappuram by a margin of over 1.94 lakh votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
He was appointed a minister of state for external affairs in the first UPA government. In 2009, he served as a minister of state for railways, external affairs and human resources.
Wherever he went, he was always on call for the Panakkad family. Muslim League state president Muhammed Ali Shihab Thangal had the last word in Ahamed’s life and career.
Ahamed is survived by daughter Dr Fousia Shershad (Dubai) and sons Ahamed Raeez (Muscat) and Nazeer Ahamed (United States). His wife Suhara died in a car accident in 1999.
