Thiruvananthapuram: In the run-up to the Nilambur assembly bypolls, Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) have locked horns in Malappuram district over the support extended to latter by the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed Welfare Party of India.
Addressing the media in Nilambur, CPI(M) state general secretary M.V. Govindan accused the UDF of embracing ‘communal forces’, warning that such alliances could have a long-lasting impact on Kerala’s social fabric.
“The UDF is openly forging alliances with sectarian forces without hesitation. What began as informal cooperation has now evolved into an open political front. The CPI(M) has never aligned with any communal organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami,” Govindan asserted Tuesday.
The Nilambur bypoll was necessitated after LDF-backed Independent MLA P.V. Anvar resigned in January following a public fallout with the Left leadership. The UDF has fielded Aryadan Shoukath against CPI(M)’s M. Swaraj and Anvar, who is running as an Independent. Voting is scheduled for 19 June.
Interestingly, while criticising the UDF’s association with the Welfare Party, Govindan defended the support extended to the LDF candidate by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by controversial Islamic leader Abdul Nasar Madanil.
Madani was acquitted in the 1998 Coimbatore blasts case, but remains on trial in connection with the 2008 Bangalore blasts.
Govindan argued that the PDP is not a communal organisation. “The PDP does not seek to establish an Islamic state, unlike Jamaat-e-Islami, even though it has faced persecution in Kerala,” he said.
The current war of words builds on tensions that have simmered since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in which the CPI(M)-led Left lost ground, winning just one seat. Since then, the Left has intensified its attacks on the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key UDF ally, accusing it of fostering ties with Jamaat-e-Islami and other sectarian groups.
During the general election campaign, the CPI(M) had projected itself as the champion of secularism and minority rights. However, following its poor electoral performance, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other leaders have openly accused the UDF of aligning with communal and extremist forces to defeat the Left.
In response, the UDF has accused the CPI(M) of blatant double standards. “When the Welfare Party supports the CPI(M), it’s branded as secular. But when it supports the UDF, it’s suddenly declared communal—that’s the CPI(M)’s hypocrisy. The same party that once denounced Madani as a communalist is now gladly accepting PDP’s support,” Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said Tuesday, responding to Govindan. “Moreover, the UDF has not engaged in any formal discussions with the Welfare Party.”
On Monday night, Welfare Party president Razak Paleri called the upcoming bypolls a chance to send a strong message to the ruling Left. “The state’s socio-economic fabric has been severely damaged over the past nine years. The Home Department, directly controlled by the chief minister, has become an enabler of Sangh Parivar forces,” Paleri alleged.
He further accused the CPI(M) of pursuing a dangerous strategy of polarisation, which he said is undermining the unity of Kerala’s minority communities.
“In Malappuram, CPI(M) leaders themselves have become promoters of the Sangh Parivar’s divisive politics. It was the chief minister who first accused Malappuram residents of smuggling and anti-national activities,” Paleri said.
The Welfare Party has officially announced its support for UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath, urging voters to use the bypoll to register their anger against what it called “a misguided and divisive government”.
In September last year, Pinarayi Vijayan’s interview with The Hindu had courted controversy over his statement against Malappuram, the state’s Muslim-dominated district. In the interview, the CM allegedly said the district was a hub of anti-national and gold smuggling activities.
However, the CM’s office came out openly against the interview and alleged that the statement was wrongly attributed to Vijayan. In response, the daily carried a statement saying that the comment was added upon request by a representative of a PR firm who was present at the interview. The CM, however, denied his involvement with any PR agency.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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