Thiruvananthapuram: Upset over Chief Minister A K Antony's comment on minorities, top brass of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is meeting at Malappuram later in the day to discuss the issue that has vexed the rank and file of the party.

The IUML leader Panakkad Syed Mohammadali Shihab Thangal has urgently summoned all the four League nominees in the UDF (United Democratic Front) ministry to Malappuram along with senior party functionaries to discuss the situation.

IUML national general secretary E Ahmed, MP, who was abroad, has been asked to return.

According to top IUML sources, the party leadership took a serious view of Antony's statement that 'minorities should not indulge in collective bargaining using their organised force.'

"The leadership as well as the party rank and file are greatly perturbed. One is still at a loss to know what prompted Antony to make such a comment," a top League leader told reporters.

The League leadership was all the more agitated by the Chief Minister defending his remark holding that he thought what he said was truth, IUML sources said.

PTI