Muslim League may rest MoS Ahamed

KOCHI: One of the big names that could be out of the Lok Sabha election fray is minister of state for external affairs E Ahamed. Indian Union Muslim League, which has two MPs –Malappuram and Ponnani–in the 15th Lok Sabha, is not likely to field the sitting MP from Malappuram. Sources told TOI that the party has realized that there is a strong undercurrent against Ahamed, 76, among its young supporters.
League insiders said the party leadership wants to strengthen its second rung of leadership and this would pave the way for party general secretary and Kottakkal MLA Abdussamad Samadani getting the ticket. E T Mohammed Basheer, sitting MP from Ponnani, would move to Malappuram and Samadani, a former Rajya Sabha MP, is likely to contest from Ponnani. Since 1977 only a Muslim League candidate has won Ponnani and a League candidate has lost in Manjeri (a seat that was turned into Malappuram constituency in 2009) only in 2004. It is learnt that League may offer Ahamed a Rajya Sabha ticket at the next available opportunity.