The Aryadan Muhammed faction of the Congress party in Malappuram district has announced plans to hold a large gathering in November to express solidarity with the people of Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. This initiative is led by Aryadan Shoukath, the son of the late leader Muhammed. However, beyond demonstrating support for Palestine, the gathering serves a dual purpose. Sources within the party suggest that it is also a show of strength to regain the faction’s influence in the district.
The leadership of the Aryadan faction recently convened a meeting in Malappuram to discuss the event. Since the passing of Muhammed in September 2022, the faction has faced challenges in maintaining its position in Malappuram, with a rival group led by KC Venugopal gaining prominence. This shift became evident during the selection of block presidents for the party in June.
The Aryadan faction, which once held a significant majority during the organizational election in 1992, claims that the current representation does not reflect its strength in the district. Some members of the faction have expressed their grievances about being neglected by the leadership.
A member of the Aryadan faction, speaking anonymously, stated, “The leadership disregarded a few names that were unanimously chosen during the meeting to select block presidents of the party. We feel neglected, and our concerns are not being taken seriously. However, we have a substantial following in the district, and we aim to demonstrate it at the solidarity convention with Palestine.”
Aryadan Shoukath, the leader of the faction, has indicated that they seek a political solution to the issues they are facing within the party. He mentioned, “The followers of Aryadan Muhammed in the district are concerned about the recent political developments in the Congress party. We don’t want to create a public spectacle of these issues or embarrass the party. We believe a party-level solution is necessary, and we hope the leadership will consider our appeals.”
After the meeting on Saturday, members of the Aryadan faction expressed their dissatisfaction by shouting slogans against local leaders of the opposing group, including District Congress Committee President V S Joy and MLA A P Anilkumar.p
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