Relief to Congress in Kerala as IUML decides to stay away from CPM's Palestine solidarity meet

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress in Kerala can heave a sigh of relief as its key coalition partner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has decided to keep off from a Palestine solidarity meeting and rally being organised by the ruling CPM. 

CPM's invite to IUML to the event scheduled on November 11 as well as the statement of an IUML senior leader and MP E T Mohammed Basheer that IUML would be happy to attend CPM's meet had triggered speculations that the party was moving closer to the left-front in Kerala. 

However, a meeting of IUML leadership on Saturday decided not to attend the CPM's meeting.

IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty told the media that the party was happy over the invitation from CPM to a meeting against the attack on Palestine. However, since IUML is part of Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala, the party decided not to take part in the meeting considering the basic manners of the front. 

Earlier also the IUML declined an invite from CPM for a meeting to protest against the Uniform Civil Code Meet citing similar grounds. 

The CPM has been trying to woo IUML to the left-front for quite some time considering the sizable Muslim vote bank of Kerala. 

While the fresh row was triggered with IUML MP's statement that IUML would be happy to attend CPM's meeting to condemn the attack on Palestine, it got aggravated after a harsh remark of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran that "one need not bark now to become a dog in next birth"

The IUML leadership strongly reacted to it following which Congress leaders even reportedly called on IUML leaders to settle the issue. The Congress camp seemed to be more worried as CPM did not invite Congress to the Palestine solidarity meet. 

Meanwhile, CPM leaders also kept on sending feelers to the IUML. Apart from sending invitation to the Palestine solidarity meeting, CPM leader A K Balan made statements hailing IUML's stand on various issues. 

A Palestine solidarity meeting held by IUML recently had triggered a row after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who spoke at the event, termed Hamas as terrorists. It invited criticism from many Muslim bodies. An Islamic body even withdrew the invitation to Tharoor to a Palestine solidarity meeting.