E.T. Mohammed Basheer
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
E.T. Mohammed Basheer, the Indian Union Muslim League’s national organising secretary and Lok Sabha member from Malappuram, is overseeing the party’s campaign for the upcoming local body elections in Malappuram.
Together with fellow party MPs M.P. Abdussamad Samadani, P.V. Abdul Wahab, and Haris Beeran, he brings over 60 years of political and electoral experience to bolster the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Malappuram.
In a candid chat with The Hindu, Mr. Basheer asserted that State-level politics, especially the policies of the State government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, would be the focus of the elections.
“The State government’s discrimination against local bodies by withholding funds earmarked for local development will inevitably surface in the elections,” he said.
Charge against LDF
Mr. Basheer also accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) of halting projects begun under the Oommen Chandy administration and later relaunching them in a new guise ahead of the polls. “This, as well as the alleged CPI(M)-BJP nexus, will reflect in the elections,” he said.
“People will contrast the current issues with the Oommen Chandy government’s track record. The Chandy administration had implemented a wide range of welfare programmes.”
The IUML leader is optimistic about the UDF’s chances in the elections. The UDF, he said, appears more cohesive and stable than ever before. He explained that, unlike Assembly polls, local body contests usually generate some friction at the ward and panchayat levels. But this time the disputes are minimal and largely subdued, except for a few outliers such as Ponmundam panchayat, where the Congress and IUML are at odds.
Mr. Basheer clarified that the IUML would have no connection with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). But the party will pursue electoral understandings with the Welfare Party of India. “The Welfare Party is not a UDF partner, but we will continue our strategic arrangement with them,” he said.
Environmental issues
Mr. Basheer lamented that no political party appears genuinely committed to tackling environmental challenges, and that those in power often seem to side with mafias. He said even the local impacts of climate change receive scant attention from leaders. “The State’s local bodies bodies, despite their statutory powers, are not using them effectively,” he said.
According to him, liquor has emerged as the foremost blight on Kerala society. The LDF administration, he said, is fostering alcohol consumption by supporting the Abkari lobby and by stripping local bodies of their authority to regulate liquor outlets.
Mr. Basheer expressed delight at the rising number of young, educated women entering civic politics. “Some people had doubts earlier whether women can do as well as men. In fact, women are outshining men. They study the subject and work with discipline,” he said.
He said the IUML would soon have women elected to the State Assembly. “We are all working towards filling that gap,” he said.
On corruption
Mr. Basheer does not see corruption as a major problem in local bodies, but he says it is deeply entrenched at higher levels of government. He pointed out that the Right to Information (RTI) Act introduced by Manmohan Singh was once a potent tool for checking corruption. “But the BJP has weakened it, leaving officials no longer afraid of RTI requests.”
The IUML leader is determined to push forward the “green agenda” articulated by the late K. Kutty Ahamed Kutty. “We grew up swimming in rivers, but those rivers are dying because of neglect,” he said. “Reclaiming our environment is now a central focus for us.”
Mr. Basheer believes local bodies can complement Kerala’s health-care system, which surpasses that of many other States. He urged them to put health at the top of their agenda, pointing out that collaborative efforts would further elevate the State’s medical standards.
Published – November 20, 2025 09:36 am IST
