By Shafeeq Hudawi, Twocircles.net
Kozhikode: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has for long, been portrayed as the choice of Muslims of Kerala when it comes to elections. However, with elections only a week away in the state, it is becoming increasingly evident that the IUML may not be the default choice of the state’s Muslims, with many considering voting for the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front instead of the IUML. This recent trend has been in the making for a few years now, as some experts point out, and it has left the IUML slightly worried about its prospects.
The patronage politics followed by the IUML to woo the Muslim voters is at stake in the Kerala assembly polls. The failure in countering issues faced by the minorities, especially Muslims across the country, has hurt the expectations of the party to sail to an easy win. The recent C for Survey, the opinion poll survey by leading Malayalm channel Asianet, gave strong indications to the possibility of a Left-turn by Muslims in Kerala.
According to the survey, the LDF will secure 43% of Muslim votes with best-ever performance in Muslim strongholds, including Malabar, the northern region of Kerala. Almost all of Muslim majority constituencies in the state belong to Malabar.
According to the survey, the LDF will bag 26-28 seats in Malabar by securing 40 per cent votes while 19 to 21 seats will go to Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF) with a vote share of 38 per cent. IUML is the second largest party in the UDF. Presently UDF has 27assembly members while LDF has 21 MLAs in Malabar.
To add to this, the gains made by LDF in last year’s civic polls in Muslim strongholds of Malabar stand as indication of the behaviour of Muslim votes in the assembly polls.
Encouraged by the recent upsurge, the CPI (M) is making every possible effort in Muslim-majority areas to target IUML over alleged laxity in resisting Sangh fold. “IUML is turning a blind towards the woes of minorities. It is high time we expose the party. The party’s (IUML’s) stand is now drawing strong ire from the minorities and it is under their scanner,” said former Youth League leader KT Jaleel MLA, who is now contesting for LDF at Thavanur in Malappuram district.
LDF leadership believes that strong campaigns against IUML’s failure in challenging the attacks against Muslims will help the front to break the monopoly of IUML in Malabar.
“IUML has committed criminal lapses in defending the minority’s rights. The party leadership kept mum against Dadri lynching and beef ban,” said CPI (M) Malappuram district general secretary P P Vasudevan.
Jaleel said that IUML was being swiftly replaced by CPM. “Muslims see CPI (M) as their sole protector as the party is making sincere efforts to defend Sangh Parivar’s moves against them,” he added.
Besides, CPI (M) alleges that a secret pact was formed between IUML and BJP in order to ensure the defeat of the Communists. “IUML is really hand in glove with BJP. The two parties dream the decline of CPI (M). IUML leaders have fallen prey to the lure of money and power. Minority welfare is no more a concern for them,” Vasudevan said.
The public statements by some Muslim clerics against IUML leaders have also kindled the expectation of CPI (M) in the polls. All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama general secretary Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar had asked his followers to defeat some of the IUML leaders citing they were taking anti-Sunni stances.
Meanwhile, one of IUML ideologues P A Rasheed termed the campaigns by CPI (M) as a bid to gain votes through polarisation. “In Muslim strongholds they are campaigning that IUML is no minority champion, while in other areas they allege that IUML is ruling the state in a bid to create an anti-UDF wave among Hindus. This type of allegation will be of less impact in IUML strongholds,” he said.
He went on to say that Muslims in Bengal were fed up with the Left Regime and had bidden adieu to CPI (M). “The Muslim strongholds there have taken a turn to TMC camp,” he said.