By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Malappuram: Manjalamkuzhi Ali, independent MLA supported by the CPI (M), has decided to leave his ties with the party out of ‘insults’ from even senior leaders. He announced his decision to resign his MLA post in a press conference held at his home yesterday. Ali is expected to hand over his resignation letter very soon to the Governor.
Ali announced that he would resign not only his Assembly membership, but his other posts such as the Directorship of the NORKA (Non-Resident Keralites’ Affairs Dept), general secretary of the Pravasi Sangham (organisation for overseas affairs and returnees based in Kerala) and the president of the Pravasi Bank. He explained that he was resigning the posts as he was not ready to subjugate to the whims of anybody or to kneel before the political masters. Ali said he had not decided whether to join with the UDF. However, he stated that the left parties had become more rightist and the right parties (UDF) more leftist. Ali has been under the verbal attack of CPI (M) leaders for quite some time.
UDF leaders welcomed the decision of Ali. Muslim League general secretary PK Kunhalikkutty welcomed Ali to the party, saying his decision showed the poor state of the CPI (M). He added that it was a reflection of the factionalism strengthening in the party. Oommen Chandy, Opposition Leader and Congress leader, welcomed Ali’s decision saying it showed that the CPI (M) was moving away from the people.
Meanwhile, LDF leaders reacted strongly to the resignation of Ali. State Minister Paloli Muhammed Kutty said that Ali should explain why he waited till the end of the Assembly session if he had so many complaints against the CPI (M). He reminded that Ali was not a member of the party, but only a supporter. A Vijayaraghavan, CPI (M) central committee member, reacted that Ali came up now against the CPI (M) when his plans to help the UDF in the local body elections were discovered by the party. Party general secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said that the CPI (M) had always behaved well with Ali. He added that Ali was not much in contact with the party and he remained an independent.
Ali, in his press conference, said that he was saddened by the frequent attack against him by even the senior leaders of the CPI (M) such as Paloli Muhammed Kutty and A Vijayaraghavan. ‘Senior leaders should have told me directly if they had any complaints against me, but instead they spoke against me in the party stages’, Ali reportedly said.
Manjalamkuzhi Ali was elected as the MLA of Mankada constituency defeating Muslim League secretary and former state minister Dr MK Muneer in the last Assembly election. Ali contested as an independent supported by the CPI (M). It is said that he was offered a ministry on his victory, but was not given. In the in-party struggle in the CPI (M), Ali was more aligned to the VS group led by Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan against the official group led by state general secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. Ali stood with VS in all times, even when the CM was fiercely opposed by the party official leadership.
Ali was a film producer who shot to fame by the 1996 movie ‘The King’. Ali’s films always had a leftist tinge and disclosed corruption in the contemporary politics. He was a booming businessman at home and abroad when he was forced by his followers to contest against the sitting MLA KPA Majeed of the Muslim League in the Mankada constituency in 1996. But he failed for a mere 1054 votes. He made his debut in the Assembly in 2001 defeating Majeed for 3058 votes. In 2006, he defeated Dr MK Muneer, Muslim League leader and former minister, for 5073 votes. He played a very important role in giving the CPI (M) a good place in Malappuram which was the strong fort of the Muslim League.
The CPI (M) had repeatedly said during the election campaigns in 2006 that Ali would be made a minister, but he was ignored when the ministry was formed. It is said that party leaders in Malappuram played to keep Ali out of the ministry. Ali reportedly had different opinions in several policies and ideas of the CPI (M) such as the statements against identity politics and appeasement of Hindutva forces. Ali also refused to attend the programme at Ponnani during the last Parliamentary election campaign when party general secretary Pinarayi Vijayan shared stage with PDP chairman Abdunnasir Maudany. However, Ali’s relations with the party’s official leadership worsened when Ali took an open stand supporting the VS group in the party.
Reports suggest that Ali might join the UDF soon. He may also contest to the Assembly with UDF support, either joining the Muslim League or as an independent, from Malappuram itself. However, the decision taken by Ali is yet another blow to the CPI (M) and the LDF which already faces the problem of losing support of the Muslim community and Muslim leaders.