After in-party discussions held in Thiruvananthapuram, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) General Secretary PK Kunjalikutty told the media that there would be no change in the party’s stance regarding its candidate from the Thiruvambadi seat in Kozhikode for the Kerala assembly elections to be held on May 16.
The Congress party in Kerala had just the other day released a copy of the letter purportedly written by Kunjalikutty himself promising them the seat in the upcoming Assembly election.
In spite of this, the Muslim league went ahead and declared VM Ummar as its candidate. The IUML is the second largest constituent of the present Congress-led ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala.
The Thamarassery church diocese is also reportedly unhappy with the IUML decision as it prefers a representative of the Malayora Karshaka Action Committee (Hill Farmers’ organisation) to contest from Thiruvambady in order to protect the farmers’ interests in the area.
It is reported that Kunhalikutty chose to harden his stance to convey their party’s displeasure against the Congress releasing the said letter to the media. This stance was further corroborated by the IUML national spokesperson Et Muhammad Basheer too who reiterated that there is no question of the party backing out from contesting the Thiruvambadi seat.