IUML-SDPI politicians meet caught on camera, Vijayan terms alliance as dangerous

The Congress-led UDF Friday found itself in a soup after a CCTV visual of an alleged meeting between its ally IUML and SDPI, known for its radical views, surfaced, drawing flak from the ruling CPI(M). Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) leaders, MLA P K Kunhalikutty and MP E T Muhammed Basheer, both probable candidates to the Lok Sabha, were seen along with SDPI state president Abdul Majeed Faisi at a hotel in Kondotty near here.

IUML is the second largest partner in UDF. Even as the IUML claimed that the meeting never had any political implications and was "purely coincidental," the SDPI leadership maintained that both the parties had discussed politics.

"We have discussed politics. Considering the political atmosphere in the country, SDPI will discuss politics with all the parties including IUML. We discussed the political scenario of Malappuram district. We have also discussed national politics," Faisi told reporters.

Lashing out at the UDF over the "secret meeting" between leaders of IUML and SDPI, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Congress move to forge an alliance with communal forces was "dangerous." "The IUML's secret link with SDPI has been exposed. These days CCTVs help to expose such things. The meeting was to forge electoral alliances. We need to fight the communal politics, be it majority or minority, in order to protect secularism. It's not right to go after communalism for the sake of few votes," he said. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the meeting shows the "desperation" of UDF leaders to win the election.