THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress is relieved as the Muslim League has scrupulously avoided the trap set by the CPM to create confusion and division within the UDF on the uniform civil code issue. As the UDF meeting was scheduled to be held today, if the Muslim League had taken a different stand, the Congress would have found been mired in issues. The IUML's stand may seem disrespectful to the CPM, but the leadership reckons that it will benefit the LDF in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

By rejecting CPM's invitation to the seminar, it is clear that the Muslim League has adopted a 'safe way'. Given the national situation, it is impossible for the League to take a political approach avoiding the Congress. That is why Muslim League President Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said that they can't avoid Congress in the civil code issue. Going to a pro-CPM approach would be suicidal in Kerala too. The faction led by ET Mohammad Basheer, MK Muneer, KM Shahji and others are staunchly anti-CPM. Therefore, taking a soft stance towards the CPM will aggravate the division in the League. The lesson of the defeat in the last Assembly elections is in front of the League. An imprecise approach could further weaken the League and erode its strong bargaining power as the second party in the UDF. That is why even when Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, which is the vote bank of the League, accepted the CPM invitation, iUML declined it. But the Congress will have to give in to the League's pressure to go on a tough protest and campaign on the uniform civil code issue. KPCC has announced a campaign program on its own but the date has not been decided. On the other hand, at the national level, the Congress has not taken a clear stand on this matter. League pressure will therefore pose a challenge to the Congress.

The League had conveyed to the Congress leadership the previous day that it would not accept CPM's invitation. Therefore, the League leadership, which is ready to move even beyond the influence of Samastah's position, may need drastic interventions to maintain the credibility of the community ranks. If the League was willing to participate in the seminar, it would have been a weapon for the CPM to attack the Congress politically by isolating it.

Accepted or rejected, it is good both ways!

The volatility of some leaders in the League and the support of Samastha which has lured the party. CPM has invited them with the thought of merit whether they are rejected or accepted. CPM's attempt can now be argued that there is no party politics on the uniform civil code issue and the league is abstaining due to narrow politics.