The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has expressed growing dissatisfaction with its treatment within the INDIA bloc, alleging that Congress has been consistently denying its national leaders adequate representation in important events and committees. The party suspects AICC general secretary K C Venugopal of orchestrating the alleged exclusion and plans to raise the issue with the Congress leadership.
The discontent intensified following a series of developments during the INDIA bloc's protests in Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. IUML MP E T Mohammed Basheer was reportedly removed at the last moment from the delegation scheduled to submit a complaint against the CEC to President Droupadi Murmu.
The party was further aggrieved after its national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty was denied an opportunity to address Sunday's 'Delhi Chalo' rally at Ramlila Maidan, while CPM general secretary M A Baby was allowed to speak. The exclusion of Muslim Youth League (MYL) and Muslim Students Federation (MSF) from the bloc's student-youth coordination committee has also fuelled its resentment.
IUML leaders are reportedly convinced that Venugopal is responsible for the alleged discrimination. The party is expected to discuss the issue with the Congress high command after its president, Sayyid Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal, returns.
Congress Ponnani MLA K P Noushad Ali has also voiced support for the League, highlighting its longstanding association with Congress and its status as one of the oldest partners in the INDIA alliance, dating back to 1969.
A senior Congress leader from Malabar attributed the growing friction to IUML's backing of V D Satheesan in the debate over Kerala's chief ministerial leadership. The leader alleged that Venugopal's displeasure with the League stemmed from this position and maintained that the issue could affect Congress-IUML relations both in Kerala and nationally if left unresolved.