LDF’s candidates list undercuts Kerala minister’s communal claim in Malappuram district panchayat

Kozhikode: Minister for culture Saji Cherian's controversial ‘look at their names' remark on the elected members of Malappuram district panchayat does not hold much water as LDF itself had fielded around 20 Muslim candidates in the 33-member panchayat. LDF considered socio-religious factors in candidate selection not just in local body elections as 13 of the 16 candidates in the 2021 assembly election in the district were from the Muslim community.Cherian had said communal polarization in local body elections could be understood by looking at the names of those who won seats in places like Malappuram district panchayat and Kasaragod municipality. In Malappuram district panchayat election, UDF won all 33 seats and six members were non-Muslim.IUML countered Cherian's remarks by highlighting that it had elected A P Smiji, daughter of (late) IUML leader A P Unnikrishnan, as vice-president of the district panchayat despite it being a general seat. Party national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said the list of IUML's elected representatives in state, including southern Kerala, showed that it represents different communities.In a Facebook post, Smiji rejected the allegation that IUML was communal and called it a routine political charge lacking credibility. She said IUML's secularism was a reality seen across generations."As the vice-president occupying the general seat of Malappuram district panchayat, I say this with pride. It would be good to look at UDF candidate list of Malappuram district panchayat with spectacles; only then will unseen things become clear. Those who pretend not to see, even after seeing, have no cure. They will continue to speak communalism," she said.In previous assembly polls, LDF relied on independent candidates and former UDF leaders to make inroads in UDF strongholds, while factoring socio-religious considerations. CPM found that fielding such independents made it easier to break into traditional vote banks of IUML and Congress.In 2021 assembly elections, it continued with independents such as K T Jaleel, V Abdurahiman and P V Anvar. It also fielded former Malappuram municipal chairman and ex-IUML leader K P Mohammed Musthafa as an independent in Perinthalmanna and backed businessman-social worker Sulaiman Haji in Kondotty. Ghafoor P Lillis, who contested as an LDF-backed independent in Tirur, also contested as an LDF candidate in previous assembly election.