By Najiya O, TwoCircles.net,
Kochi: “The Indian National League has no problem in working together with the Muslim League for the betterment of the minorities and oppressed sections of the society”, said PMA Salam, MLA and state general secretary of the INL. Mr Salam told TwoCircles.net that the party was only happy to work together with the League in matters of common concern.
However, he made it clear that there have not been any official talks on the matter yet. “There is a change in the attitude of the Muslim League under the new president. The League’s general secretary PK Kunhalikkutty spoke with the changed attitude and we responded in a positive way,” said Mr Salam.
The Muslim League also welcomed the statements of the INL. “We welcome the new statements of the INL leader PMA Salam”, said Sadiqali Shihab Thangal, Malappuram district president of the Muslim League. He said that the party would be happy if the INL came back to the League.
The INL was formed in the early 1990s when a group of leaders led by late Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait left the Muslim League protesting against the party’s decision to stick with the UDF (led by the Congress party) even after the demolition of the Babri Masjid. The INL opted to be with the LDF while the Muslim League never left the UDF. Both parties opposed each other strongly. While the Muslim League, long-time ally of the Congress, had ministers in the state and centre, the LDF refused even to take the INL into its alliance. The discontent of the INL in this move of the LDF was worsened during the last general elections when the LDF, especially CPI (M) leaders, shared stage with the People’s Democratic Party of Abdunnasir Ma’dani.
Mr Salam said that the party members were unhappy with the LDF which has not yet got ready to take the party into the alliance in spite of receiving the INL’s vote in all elections. “However, since we are not in any alliance, we can take our decisions independently”, he added.
The new developments emerged when the INL leader PMA Salam opined that the party had no enmity with the Muslim League. Muslim League leader PK Kunhalikkutty also responded positively to the new statement. Siraj Ibrahim Sait, national general secretary of the INL, welcomed the statement of Mr Kunhalikkutty that the League had no feeling of untouchability towards any party. He said that a Muslim-secularist unity was the need of the time when Muslims all over the world are facing problems. The presence of political parties like the Muslim League and the INL will strengthen this unity, he added.