Thiruvananthapuram: In a strategic move, the Kerala government has decided to give a Norka Roots membership to the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the expat organisation of the opposition party- the Indian Union Muslim League.
Non-Resident Keralite's Affairs (Norka) Roots is a government organisation working to redress the grievances of non-resident Keralites in India and abroad.
The decision was taken at the Norka director board meeting held on January 31. The meeting was chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The Qatari chapter of the KMCC sought affiliation with the Norka Roots.
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A committee headed by Norka Roots vice-chairman P Sreeramakrishnan had studied the application of the KMCC and informed the director board that KMCC is a secular organisation. Norka is likely to set up a condition of taking up non-religious activities as a condition for the affiliation.
This is a politically significant move in Kerala as CPM leaders have covertly expressed their interest in accommodating the Muslim League in LDF several times. At the same time, chief minister Pinarayi has opened a direct communication channel with the EK faction of the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, the clerics' organisation which is close to the League. This gave an upper hand to Pinarayi on several issues as Samastha led the bargaining in matters concerning the community, without the help of the League
KMCC is known as a prominent funding source for the Muslim League. CPM making close ties with the Samstha and KMCC is unlikely to go well with the IUML.According to some political observers, CPM is trying to woo the League, whereas others feel it wants to squeeze the regional party.