Kerala polls: CM slams UDF for ‘defamatory attack’ on CPI(M) woman legislator U. Prathibha

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the United Democratic Front (UDF) for making “misogynistic and defamatory” statements against Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader and Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate in Kayamkulam Assembly constituency, U. Prathibha. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Vijayan said the UDF’s “vicious attempt to character assassinate Ms. Prathibha reflected the coalition’s social and political degeneration.” He said the UDF had backslidden into “personally attacking opponents and their families” because it could not counter the LDF politically. Moreover, the UDF had no credible agenda to present to voters, he said.

Mr. Vijayan said “Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who swears by women’s rights and gender equality, sided with predators, not the prey.” 

Mr. Vijayan said the UDF’s attack on Ms. Prathibha was “an attack on women.” He said the UDF appeared to be dominated by persons “unwilling to accept women as humans with distinctive personalities, dignity, right to life and self-respect.”

The controversy centred on UDF convenor (Alappuzha) A. Irshad whose speech at an election convention for the Congress candidate M. Liju in Kayamkulam on Wednesday sparked controversy.

Mr. Irshad attempted to draw a comparison between Mr. Liju’s “probity in personal and public life” and Ms. Prathiba’s “dubious character and conduct” as a legislator and politician.

Mr. Irshad drew flak on social and conventional media for comments widely deemed slander and brazen character assassination of a woman holding public office. Mr. Irshad also spotlighted a now-withdrawn narcotic case (2025) against Ms. Prathibha’s son.

Neither the UDF nor the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), of which Mr. Irshad is a member, have issued any clarification in the matter.

On Tuesday, Mr. Vijayan had accused Mr. Satheesan and the latter’s loyalists of providing political cover to the expelled Congress legislator from Palakkad, Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing multiple charges of rape. Mr. Satheesan had countered that Mr. Vijayan’s “feminist outlook was only on paper” and the CPI(M) shielded sexual predators while the Congress expelled them forthrightly.