Malappuram: As the UDF is bracing up for a clean sweep in Malappuram Lok Sabha by-election, a spat between the principal allies Congress and Indian Union Muslim League is becoming a headache for them. Both parties have locked horns in Karuvarakundu Panchayat which is a part of the parliament segment. The Congress members of the 15 member UDF governing council here have threatened the IUML with a no-confidence motion protesting IUML leader and Manjeri MLA M. Umer’s moves.
They alleged that the legislator had taken up issues of the Wandoor constituency represented by Congress MLA A.P. Anil Kumar, which is a "disrepute" to him. The row began after Mr Umer raised the labour issue of Sultana Estate in Karuvarakundu, his native place, which falls under Wandoor, in the Assembly last week. The Congress alleged that he took up the matter while Mr Kumar was not present. He had also taken up the tax dispute of Kerala Estate at Karuvarakundu, in the assembly while Mr Kumar was a minister, making him a mute spectator.
Protesting this a group of Congress members in the council threatened to move a no-confidence motion against the IUML-led council. At the same time, the IUML panchayat committee has made it clear that there were no issues between them. “Some of the Congress members with the help of CPM-led opposition is trying to undermine the governing council raising non-issues,” said P. Imbichi Koya, secretary of the party. Though there was no UDF alliance in the panchayat during the local body elections in 2015, both reached a post-poll alliance.
