IUML: UDF to weaponise state policies in Kerala local polls
IUML: UDF to weaponise state policies in Kerala local polls
IUML leader says the UDF will frame Kerala's local elections around state policies, local funding, and past welfare schemes.
E.T. Mohammed Basheer, the Indian Union Muslim League’s national organising secretary and a Lok Sabha member from Malappuram, is spearheading the party’s campaign for the upcoming local body elections in Malappuram. Alongside fellow party MPs M.P. Abdussamad Samadani, P.V. Abdul Wahab, and Haris Beeran, he brings over six decades of political and electoral experience to bolster the United Democratic Front in the district. In a candid chat, Basheer stressed that state-level politics, particularly the policies of the Vijayan-led government, would dominate the election narrative. He argued that the state government’s approach to funding local bodies — including withholding earmarked funds for local development — would surface as a central issue in the campaigns.
Basheer also accused the Left Democratic Front of slowing projects started under the Oommen Chandy administration and then relaunching them under new guises as the polls approach. He asserted that the alleged CPI(M)-BJP nexus would be a talking point voters weigh against the current administration, with residents drawing comparisons to the welfare programs implemented during the Chandy era. The IUML leader expressed confidence in a more cohesive UDF in this round of local polls, suggesting that the opposition front is more united now than at any time recently.
While ward- and panchayat-level disputes are typically to be expected in local contests, Basheer noted that friction this time has been relatively muted, save for Ponmundam panchayat where Congress and IUML are at odds. He clarified that the IUML would have no formal ties with the Social Democratic Party of India, though strategic understandings with the Welfare Party of India would continue. He emphasized that Welfare Party is not a UDF partner, but its experience and networking could be leveraged in the broader electoral push.
Looking ahead, Basheer underscored the party’s optimism about the UDF’s prospects and insisted that the campaign would emphasize accountability, local development, and a clear contrast with the ruling government’s record. The locally focused strategy is expected to shape conversations across Malappuram, with a broader Kerala-wide frame focusing on how state-level choices affect municipal budgets and public services.
Cover image source: Kerala local body polls 2025: IUML scrambling to preserve its stronghold in Kottakkal 🔗
