TRIVANDRUM, 20 November — The ruling alliance in Kerala has launched urgent fire-fighting measures following a row between a Congress party leader and the coalition’s second largest constituent party.
K. Muraleedharan, the chief of the Congress state unit that leads the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), and alliance convener Oommen Chandy are trying to cool tempers in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) following allegedly insulting comments against the Muslim party’s leader.
Congress legislator Aryadan Muhammad angered the IUML by saying that its chief Panakad Sihab Thangal was just another politician and not a religious leader. Thangal is a widely respected leader within Kerala’s Muslim community.
Muraleedharan and Chandy are to meet state Industries Minister P.K. Kunjalikutty, the second in command in the IUML, to contain the damage and keep peace within the UDF.
The fact that the assembly is in session has added to the urgency of the situation as the Marxist-led opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) could use the discord within the UDF to embarrass the ruling coalition. After all, several leaders within the LDF had tried their utmost to win the IUML over ahead of the May assembly elections. Those elements could still be looking for a chance to wean the Muslim party away, the UDF fears.
Trouble within the UDF began late last week after Aryadan Muhammad blasted Thangal while speaking to reporters at his home in Nilambur, Malapurram district.
Irate IUML supporters stoned Muhammad’s house for his comments against their leader and his protest against the suspension of 45 employees of a private school run by businessman and IUML supporter P. Abdul Wahab.
But Aryadan Muhammad insists he neither said nor did anything wrong. “All I said was that Thangal is like any party leader, be it Sonia Gandhi, A.K. Antony, K. Karunakaran, V.S. Achuthanandan or E.K. Nayanar,”
Aryadan Muhammad said. Aryadan Muhammad also said the suspension of the school employees was unfair and he was forced to react. “The attack on my house was done by IUML supporters with the full support of Wahab,” he alleged.
Hinting that Wahab was an opportunist, he said: “While the LDF was in power, he was a close ally of the CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and now with IUML in power he has shifted his allegiance.”
Asked whether this rift would ruin equations within the UDF, Aryadan Mohammed said: “There is not going to be any problem within the UDF on account of this.”
