IUML: Kunhalikutty gives up party position

KOZHIKODE: Industry Minister P K Kunhalikutty has technically given up the post of general secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League as part of the implementation of the 'oneman, onepost' policy of the party. The decision was taken in the state working committee meeting of the IUML held in Kozhikode on Sunday evening.Briefing the media after the meeting, P K Kunhalikutty said the party state president Panakad Syed Hyderali Thangal has been entrusted with the responsibility of deciding the new officebearers at the earliest. "However, the present officebearers will continue till a new arrangement is made," he said. Consequently, ministers P K Abdu Rabb, M K Muneer and V K Ibrahim Kunhu and MLAs who hold various positions in the party leadership at present have also decided to step down from their respective party posts. This is also applicable to each and every leader from top to bottom of the party and its subsidiary organisations including Youth League, MSF, Vanitha League and STU.Kunhalikutty said the party had enough qualified leaders to hold the charge of top positions in the party. "There was an opinion in the working committee that opportunities should be given to all qualified members in the party. Based on this, all the leaders who hold two posts in the party have technically decided to resign from the post," he added.Party secretary and MP E T Mohammed Basheer said the party president would elect the new officebearers based on certain guidelines given by the working committee and as per the organisational process of the party. Meanwhile, party leaders said the working committee had not discussed matters regarding the fifth ministership of the party in the UDF government. "The UDF meeting will decide on such issues and we have an optimistic approach in the matter," Mohammed Basheer said. He added that the party leadership was happy and proud that the UDF government was proceeding in the right direction.The working committee has also set up panels to examine the reasons for the defeat of the party in four constituencies Eravipuram: C Mammootty and P K Basheer MLA; Guruvayur: Abdurahiman Randethani MLA and P Abdul Hameed; Kunnamangalam: K N A Khader MLA and P P A Kareem and Kuttiyadi: Abdul Khader Moulavi and P Ubaidulla MLA.