Kerala: CPI(M) and Muslim League To Join Hands?

After a recent statement by MV Govindan, the state secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), i.e., CPI(M), saying that the IUML was ‘not communal’, speculation about the entry of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) into the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has started in Kerala’s political circles.

The statement came in the backdrop of the increasing feud within the United Democratic Front (UDF).

While the Congress has been unhappy with the increasing dominance of the IUML in the alliance, the IUML has been angered by the recent remarks of K Sudhakaran, the state president of the Kerala unit of the Congress, regarding the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

IUML chairperson Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal welcomed the statement by Govindan.

The position of the two parties on issues like the protest against the Vizhinjam port and the approach towards Governor Arif Mohammad Khan also differed.

While the IUML was open in its support to the port project, the Congress position was ambivalent due to its Christian voter base. This allowed the CPI(M) to paint a picture of the IUML being ‘pro-development’ and the Congress as ‘anti-development.’

VD Satheesan of the Congress, who is the leader of opposition in the Kerala Legislature, had openly supported the removal of Vice-Chancellors by Khan. On the other hand, the IUML has been antagonistic to Khan, because of his remarks on Muslim religious leaders regarding the issue of hijab.

The recent public feuding between Congress leaders over Shashi Tharoor’s visit to the Malabar region and engagements with IUML functionaries brought more bitterness in the relationship.

Also, in a move seen as a major concession to the IUML, during the recently concluded assembly session, the CPI(M) went soft on its idea of introducing gender-neutral uniforms and mixed hostels which were staunchly opposed by the IUML.

The move is being seen as similar to the LDF’s successful weaning away of the Jose K Mani faction of the Kerala Congress (M) from the UDF to the LDF in 2020.