NEW DELHI: P K Kunhalikutty will be resigning his Lok Sabha membership as part of returning to the state politics. His resignation is ahead of contesting the assembly polls. The League assessed that if he resigns now, by-elections can be held in Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency along with the assembly elections.

Ahead of his resignation, he returned to Panakkad on Tuesday, met Hyderali Thangal and returned to Delhi. He is likely to tender his resignation either today or tomorrow.

The Muslim League leadership that met last month opined that Kunhalikutty should return to the state politics and contest in the assembly elections. League leader K P A Majeed announced after the meeting that Kunhalikutty would step down from MP post.

Resigning from the Lok Sabha midway drew flak from the CPM and the BJP and following that there were indications that the decision may be reconsidered. However, the opinion of the party leadership that Kunhalikutty should be active in the state led to his decision to resign.

The UDF is anxious on whether the resignation will be a political setback. The CPM and the BJP are sure to raise this as a political issue.

Kunhalikutty who won the assembly polls from Vengara in 2016 reached the Lok Sabha after contesting from Malappuram in 2019. He won by a margin of 2.6 lakh votes.