Sulaikha Kalodi, IUML rebel candidate in ward 25 of Tirurangadi Municipality in Malappuram district
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the United Democratic Front’s second-most significant constituent, is targeting more seats across the State in the forthcoming local body elections.
The party leadership said here on Wednesday that favourable local body results would bolster the UDF’s standing ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The IUML has already secured seat-sharing agreements with its UDF allies in most of the 1,999 local bodies. Negotiations are still under way in a few local bodies. According to party State general secretary P.M.A. Salam a final agreement is expected within a day or two.
However, a handful of local bodies present issues that have forced the IUML and the Congress to contest separately. The Ponmundam panchayat in Malappuram district is one of them.
“The number of issue-ridden local bodies is far too few; at the State level such local issues have no relevance,” said party State secretary Abdurahman Randathani.
The IUML is firm on its stance towards the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the Welfare Party of India (WPI). Although the WPI is not a UDF member, both the IUML and the Congress encourage local alliances with it. The SDPI, however, is kept at arm’s length. “There will be no formal or informal tie-ups with the SDPI,” said Mr. Salam.
Training provided
The IUML has mobilised its grass-roots machinery, opening offices for many of its panchayat and municipal candidates and providing party workers with training in systematic electioneering. “This time the UDF system is stronger than ever,” said Mr. Salam.
The IUML now controls 2,238 local body seats across the State. Malappuram contributes the most with 1,103 seats, followed by Kozhikode (384), Kannur (223), Kasaragod (196), Palakkad (171), Wayanad (106), Thrissur (42), and Ernakulam (41).
The party counts 82 grama panchayat presidents and 40 vice-presidents, 15 block panchayat presidents with 11 vice-presidents, one district panchayat president (Malappuram), 17 municipal chairpersons, and five vice-chairpersons, and one Mayor (Kannur).
Larger objective
Beyond capturing maximum local bodies, the IUML’s key political narrative now frames the local wins as a springboard for the 2026 Assembly polls. As Mr. Randathani puts it, “the 2026 Assembly elections are crucial, and this is our best preparation for that vote.”
State, national issues
Therefore, the party will centre its campaign on State and national issues, with its leaders spotlighting the Left Democratic Front’s policies and governance in Kerala alongside the BJP’s agenda at the Centre.
“The CPI(M) has been acting like the BJP’s B-team in Kerala, and this has been evident for several years. Issues we will raise include Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s stance on Malappuram, his continued support for SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan despite his provocative remarks about Muslims, the CPI(M)’s assistance to the BJP in winning the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, its role in stoking communal divisions, its backing of the BJP’s saffronisation agenda in education, the LDF’s false claims of poverty eradication, and the collapse of the State’s health sector,” said Mr. Randathani, who is also the party’s observer for Thrissur and Malappuram districts.
Party insiders say the IUML will field more non-Muslim candidates this election. In the Thrissur Corporation, for instance, Jaan Mary Jose is running on the IUML’s ladder symbol from the Krishnapuram ward, and Sreeshma Baburaj is contesting the Thrissur district panchayat under the IUML banner.
Rebel pressure
Like other parties, the IUML too is confronting rebel pressure: former Tirurangadi municipal vice-chairperson Sulaikha Kalodi is running as an Independent in ward 25, where State general secretary P.M.A. Salam resides, claiming that the party insulted her by denying a seat. This has drawn criticism for its failure to block her candidacy.
Published – November 13, 2025 09:14 am IST
