The Hindu : Kerala News : Congress-IUML ties still strong, says Ahamed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 19, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Congress-IUML ties still strong, says Ahamed

By Our Special Correspondent

KOZHIKODE, NOV. 18. The Union Minister and national general secretary of the IUML, E. Ahamed, today claimed that the ice-cream parlour sex scandal had not yet figured in his discussions with the Congress high command.

Talking to presspersons here today, Mr. Ahamed said he had not met his party leader Syed Mohammedali Shihab Thangal in Kochi yesterday to convey Congress high command's views on this issue. "Congress-IUML links are still very strong,'' he said.

Mr. Ahamed denied press reports which indicated he had met Shihab Thangal alone. "I had met Shihab Thangal along with P. K. Kunhalikutty,'' he said.

The IUML leader who met the presspersons here for the first time after the scandal reared its head again reiterated his party's position saying, "the charge (against Mr. Kunhalikutty) is an old one, rejected by the court and by the electorate who voted him in the last Assembly poll. The latest charge is based on a statement by an individual who had changed her earlier statement given in the court. Such allegations can be made against anyone.''

He expressed regret over the incidents at the Karipur airport during which a group of his partymen attacked mediamen who had gone to cover a reception for Kunhalikutty.

Mr. Ahamed said the IUML had always followed a path of conciliation. He supported the party stand that the attempt to revive the scandal was an attack on the party and the Muslim community since "the IUML is part of the community.''

The IUML leader, however, declined to comment when his attention was drawn to demands for Mr. Kunhalikutty's resignation aired by some UDF leaders.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News Update

Stories in this Section