KASARGODE: Muslim League Leader Panakkad Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal has announced that senior leader M C Kamarudheen will contest the by-election as the UDF candidate at Manjeswaram.

Currently he is the Kasargod district president of Muslim League. National Muslim League General Secretary P K Kunhalikutty is in charge of the election. Thangal added that election convention will be held next month.

Kamarudheen said that the UDF would face the election unitedly and all secular parties will unite to fight against RSS-Sangh Parivar forces.
“In Manjeswaram, the main opponent is the BJP; the LDF comes only second,” Kamarudheen pointed out.

Meanwhile, Kunjambu will be fielded from the constituency as the LDF candidate, say sources. In district secretariat meeting held on Wednesday, only Kunjambu’s name was raised as the candidate probable. He also responded that the LDF would take back the seat.
A CPM state committee member, Kunjambu said that differences of opinion in the League would create trouble for the UDF.

Ministers E P Jayarajan, K K Shailaja and E Chandrasekharan have been given the election charge of Manjeswaram. Along with that, Elamaram Kareem MP will also become active in the constituency.

Manjeswaram district secretary member K R Jayananda was the leader initially considered as the candidate. But the anxiety whether the factional issues existing in the party at Manjeswaram will affect the contest resulted in Kunjambu becoming the final choice.

Meanwhile, the BJP is making preparations to make senior leader Subbrayya Ravu, the candidate, as senior leader K Surendran backed out from the contest.