The Hindu : Kerala News : IUML blames UDF regime for defeat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

IUML blames UDF regime for defeat

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE, MAY 24. The Malappuram district working committee of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has come to the conclusion that the resentment against the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government in the State was the primary cause of the defeat of the party candidate in the Manjeri Lok Sabha constituency.

Briefing presspersons on the discussions at today's district working committee meeting in Malappuram, the Industries Minister and IUML State general secretary, P. K. Kunhalikutty, said that a number of factors, including the governance of the UDF regime and the public opinion against it and its police policy, were responsible for the defeat of the UDF candidate in Manjeri. The IUML could not gauge the strong undercurrents against the UDF in the State in general and in Manjeri in particular. (The IUML candidate, K. P. A. Majeed, was defeated by the CPI(M) leader, T. K. Hamza, in Manjeri.) The party was able to hold on to the Ponnani Lok Sabha seat even in the midst of a strong undercurrent against the UDF in the State. Stressing that the party viewed the defeat seriously, he said the presence of three Ministers (himself, M. K. Muneer and Nalakath Soopy) at today's meeting itself was a proof of this. The defeat at Manjeri was an eye-opener to all Muslim League workers and leaders. Nothing could compensate for it. The activities of the party at the grassroots will be strengthened.

He said the party's Malappuram district general secretary and IUML candidate in Manjeri, K. P. A. Majeed, had offered his resignation from the post owning up the responsibility for the defeat. However, the committee unanimously asked him to continue in the post.

When his attention was drawn to the CPI(M) leader, V. S. Achuthanandan's objection to the induction of the IUML general secretary, E. Ahmed, into the Union Council of Ministers, Mr. Kunhalikutty said he had become the Minister as a representative of the UDF. The IUML was a part of the UDF for more than three decades now. It was up to Mr. Achuthanandan to reply why he alone from the CPI(M) was opposing Mr. Ahmed's inclusion in the Ministry.

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