The acquittal of PDP chairman Abdul Nasser Mahdhani in the Coimbatore serial blasts case has gladdened a large section of the Muslim community, human rights activists and political parties. In the last few years, Mahdhani’s ill-health and his travails in jail had received widespread media attention and sympathy.

His wife Sufia Mahdhani had been constantly in the news shuttling between their home in Kollam and Coimbatore trying to get relief for her ailing husband. Hence Mahdhani’s scheduled arrival in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday is expected to be a tumultuous event. However, there is enough reason for the Indian Union Muslim League to get worried.

“We had opposed Mahdhani’s extreme positions ten years ago and still continue to differ on that,” said League supremo Panakkad Muhammedali Shihab Thangal. After having suffered a serious loss of face in the last assembly elections, the party has been experiencing a serious erosion from its ranks.

The IUML’s loss has been the gain of Islamic organisations like National Development Front which supports Mahdhani and his party. It is to be seen as to what political position Mahdhani takes in the new scheme of things. The NDF is in the watchlist of both State and Central security agencies.

Meanwhile, both the UDF and LDF have welcomed his release on the grounds that “justice has been done at last”. They also justified the resolution they jointly passed seeking Mahdhani’s release. In fact, it was the LDF government’s intervention that facilitated ayurveda treatment for Mahdhani in Coimbatore jail.

Expressing happiness over his acquittal, Chief Minister Achuthanandan said his government’s approach towards Mahdhani would depend on his stand on various issues. He admitted that thee may have been some lapses in dealing with him in the past. He expected Mahdhani to carry out his political functions sticking to the principles of secularism and democracy.

Health Minister P K Sreemathy said the government would extend free medical treatment for him. Opposition leader Oommen Chandy said that justice has been done to Mahdhani. However, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Ramesh Chennithala said the LDF needs to explain why he was handed over to Tamil Nadu police.