‘Secret’ meet with SDPI lands IUML in a spot

KOZHIKODE: The ‘secret meeting’ between the IUML and the SDPI leaders at a hotel in Kondotty on Thursday night has become a major embarrassment for the UDF with the CPM deciding to use it as a main campaign point in the coming days.
IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty and organizing secretary E T Muhammad Basheer met SDPI state president Abdul Majeed Faizi and PFI state president Nasarudheen Elamaram and held discussions at the hotel.Though the IUML leadership has claimed that it was only a chance meeting, the SDPI clarified that they discussed the current national politics. The CCTV footage of the leaders arriving at the hotel had appeared in the media. “There is no question of having any political understanding with the SDPI. The people in the state know very well that our party will never compromise with SDPI. Moreover, they have a candidate in Ponnani. We are not foolish enough to hold secret talks in a hotel veranda,” Kunhalikutty told reporters.
But Faizy said both parties had discussed general political issues. “It was not a planned meeting. We arrived at the hotel for a programme. The IUML leaders were also there and we held discussions,” Faizy said.
There are many who believe that the IUML is in a precarious situation in Ponnani. There was a huge fall in the victory margin for the IUML last time and the UDF in Malappuram is plagued by Congress-IUML tussles. SDPI has polled around 26,000 votes in Ponnani in 2014.
CPM district secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the UDF is joining hands with communal forces as it is sure of electoral defeat. “They would not mind having an alliance even with Jaish-e-Muhammad if that fetches votes,” he said.
Balakrishnan said that IUML leaders, including M K Muneer, who had taken a tough stand against the SDPI, were kept in the dark about the discussions. “We would like to know whether KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran will approve of an alliance with the SDPI,” he said.
LDF candidate in Ponnani P V Anvar went a step ahead and alleged that the discussions were held at the behest of the UDF. He said that UDF convener Benny Behanan was also a part of the deliberations.