MALAPPURAM: Mr K.M. Khader Mohideen, former MP from Tamil Nadu, is the new national president of the Indian Union Muslim League and Mr P.K. Kunhalikutty MLA, former minister and national treasurer, the new general secretary. The IUML’s national committee was reconstituted at its executive committee meeting in Chennai on Sunday in the wake of the death of E. Ahmed, party national president and former union minister, earlier this month. The meeting, presided over by the party’s Kerala unit president Panakkad Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, also elected Thangal as the head of the political advisory committee. Former general secretary E.T. Muhammed Basheer MP is the new organizing secretary and Mr P.V. Abdul Wahab treasurer. Former MP Abdusamad Samadani will be one of the secretaries.
Mr Kunhalikutty’s elevation to the crucial post in the national leadership coincides with his possible candidature in the upcoming Lok Sabha byelection from Malappuram which was the turf of Ahmed for long. Mr Kunhalikutty, who enjoys the support of a large section of the party leadership, will now be the key player in the national leadership. He has also the support of the party’s youth wing, Muslim Youth League (MYL). The state executive camp of the MYL, which concluded in Kollam on Saturday, had asked the party to consider Mr Kunhalikutty for the byelection. The party state committee meeting next month will finalise the candidate. Mr Kunhalikutty had earlier expressed his willingness to contest from Malappuram and take up any job entrusted to him by the party.
