Shoukath's Panakkad visit marks shift in IUML-Congress dynamics
Congress State general secretary Aryadan Shoukath, who won the Nilambur Assembly byelection with an impressive margin of 11,077 votes, visited Panakkad, near here, on Tuesday and sought the blessings of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) State president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal.
Mr. Shoukath's visit to Panakkad was seen as more than a courtesy call to the chief of a major United Democratic Front (UDF) constituent. It was a strategic move that could potentially mark the beginning of a new era in the Congress-IUML relations within the UDF in Malappuram district.
Despite decades of partnership, the Congress and IUML have had a strained relationship, particularly in Malappuram district. Historical unease between the two key UDF constituents, fuelled by scepticism among some veteran Congress leaders towards the IUML, had led to friction and even electoral clashes in several panchayats. This even required the UDF leadership to intervene and mediate in the past.
Mr. Shoukath's father Aryadan Mohammed, the late Congress stalwart who held his sway in Nilambur for over three decades by winning eight Assembly elections, was known for his vocal criticism of the IUML and the Panakkad Thangal leadership. Aryadan Mohammed had repeatedly criticised the Panakkad Thangals and rejected their claim of supremacy over the Muslim community.
Following his father's footsteps and driven by his secular approach, Mr. Shoukath too had adopted a similar critical stance towards the Panakkad Thangals.
Thangal's blessings
When Mr. Shoukath sought the Thangal's blessings ahead of beginning his campaign on May 27, some stakeholders like P.V. Anvar had attempted to revive past criticisms, potentially trying to stir a controversy.
But Mr. Shoukath had shifted his stance and publicly praised the IUML and Panakkad leadership well before the Nilambur byelection. It clearly marked a departure from his past criticism. Soon after the election results on Monday, a triumphant junior Aryadan effusively praised the IUML and its leadership and credited their systematic groundwork in Nilambur months prior to the byelection for his win.
Mr. Shoukath's visit to Panakkad as the newly elected MLA seemed to signal a fresh start with the IUML by burying past differences and forging a new relationship.
The warm hug with Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal and the convivial body language among Congress and IUML leaders at Panakkad on Tuesday conveyed a renewed sense of camaraderie and warmth in their relationship.
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