By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kozhikode: Senior Congress leader and KPCC Vice-president Thalekunnil Basheer was last day appointed as the acting president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee amid growing discontent among the Muslim community of ignoring them in the candidate list of the party. Out of the 81 Congress candidates, only 10 are from the Muslim community which constitutes around 26% of the population of Kerala. The important Congress leaders who were ignored include the party spokesperson MM Hassan and former Youth Congress president T Siddique.
The appointment of Mr Thalekunnil Basheer as acting president is apparently seen as a measure to pacify the growing discontent among the community. He is the first Muslim president in the post after TO Bava. An acting president had to be appointed as KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala is contesting in the election from Harippad in Alappuzha.
The Kerala State Muslim Coordination Committee openly criticised the denial of deserved number of seats to the Muslim community. It accused the Congress leaders in the state of ignoring Muslim leaders like MM Hassan, Thalekkunnil Basheer, T Siddique, Kochu Muhammed and Ibrahim Kutty Kallar. It also demanded that the neglect towards Mr Hassan could be compensated only by making him the KPCC president as the present president Ramesh Chennithala is contesting the election. Committee leaders A Mohammed Khan and Nassar Kadayara were present at the press conference held in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. The Muslim Educational Society also criticised the Congress move of giving less representation for Muslims in the candidate list.
Some Youth Congress supporters have reportedly held marches in Kozhikode to protest the denial of seat to T Siddique. Though Hassan has remained silent, the office-bearers of the ‘Janasree’ Mission, a project of the party, have spoken up against the denial of seat to its leader. However, Hassan did not attend the function in which the UDF manifesto, which was formed under his leadership, was released.
Meanwhile, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala yesterday stated that disciplinary action would be taken against those who came in protest against the official candidates announced by the national leadership of the Congress. Investigation would be carried out regarding the public statements and protest marches held in some places. All Congress members should acknowledge the decision of the AICC. He added that complaints, if any, should be made to the KPCC leadership and nobody should resort to public protest.
Mr MM Hassan is a senior leader and spokesperson of the party. He took the lead in forming the ‘Janasree’ Mission to bring women to the party, as an answer to the Left parties amassing women support through the ‘Kudumbasree’ project. He was the convener of the committee that formed the election manifesto of the UDF. He also served as the convener of the ‘Kerala Mochana Yathra’, a march from the northern-most district of Kasargod to the southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram led by Opposition leader Oommen Chandy.
Hassan was denied seat in the Thiruvananthapuram district reportedly because the leadership took a stand that since MA Vaheed and Varkala Kahar are contesting there, Hassan’s candidature would make it to three Muslims in the district which was not acceptable. Then Hassan was said to be considered in different constituencies including Eravipuram in Kollam (where the Muslim League is contesting), Aluva in Ernakulam (where Hassan did not come in the list), Vamanapuram and then Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram. Another leader Ibrahim Kutty Kallar had contested from Udumbanchola in Idukki in the last election. But this time the seat is given to Jossy Sebastian.
T Siddique was the former president of the Youth Congress who enlivened the youth organisation by leading several agitations against the LDF government. He was removed from the post in 2009 after Rahul Gandhi nominated M Liju through a talent hunt. This had led to protests then itself, which led to reinstating him. There had been speculations that he might be considered for the Kozhikode parliamentary seat in 2009, but he was not only denied seat but also dropped from the post of YC president after the elections. Siddique was ignored when many former state leaders of the YC have been made candidates in this Assembly election. National Students Union president Hibi Eden (Ernakulam), Youth Congress state president PC Vishnunath (Chengannur), vice-president M Liju (Ambalappuzha) and many other youth leaders are contesting. The candidate of Chalakkudy is reportedly lesser known in the constituency but was selected by Rahul Gandhi. However, Rahul Gandhi’s decision to first remove him as YC president in 2009 and then later re-instate him following protests apparently seem to have worked against T Siddique. It is also reported that Oommen Chandy had tried his level best to include Siddique in the list but could not.
There have been explanations that the UDF has enough Muslim representation due to the presence of the Muslim League, which has fielded Muslims in all but one in the 24 constituencies it is contesting. But no answer has been given for the question of the Muslim members of the Congress. However, the same policy could apply for the Christian community also when the Kerala Congress (Mani group) in the UDF is known as the strongest Christian party of the state. The Christian community constituting of less than 19% in the state has been provided 19 seats and the Nair community which constitutes 12% of the population has 23 candidates, according to reports.
Meanwhile, a group named National Muslim Movement has been reportedly formed in the wake of the negligence of Muslims in the Congress candidate list. The movement aims at bringing together Muslims of national awareness within the party, said Chief Coordinator Adv CA Majeed in a press conference held in Kochi last week.