MALAPPURAM: The state government’s decision to initiate multiple probes into the solar scam sent shockwaves across the UDF camp when elections to Vengara bypoll was underway. It cast a shadow over the expected victory margin of the UDF.
It has come as a blow to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which was on an overdrive to keep its majority from the previous elections intact. UDF got a majority of 40,259 votes from Vengara in the recent Lok Sabha bypoll from Malappuram. In 2016 Assembly election, the majority was 38,057 votes.
The solar blow comes at a time when the UDF leadership were skeptical about adverse effects of the displeasure among a section of party workers regarding the candidate selection of the IUML for the bypoll in the party fortress. The party candidate K.N.A Khader was shunned by the party leadership from the 2016 election list due to his limited acceptance among voters of his previous constituency.
Adding to the woes, the IUML’s core vote bank, the E.K. Sunni faction was also at loggerheads with a section of the party leadership regarding the pro Salafi stand of its national organising secretary E.T. Muhammed Basheer M.P. and state general secretary K.P.A Majeed.
The UDF leadership had unleashed a never seen before electioneering for a forced bypoll which would not have any political ramifications in the state. It can be noted that former chief minister Oomen Chandy, who is at the centre of solar scam had camped in Vengara to lead the election campaign for nearly a week scouting across every nook and cranny of the constituency. Reacting to the unexpected developments in the solar on the day of polling in Vengara, IUML general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty said that political haunting in the name of solar commission report will never be allowed. “The voters of Vengara are aware of the motive behind the government’s move on the day of polling. The details of the report are yet to come. Chief Ministers’ statements are only legal advices given by the legal advisers which are not the details of the commission report. We will always welcome any kind of probe as per the report” he said.
