Kerala local body polls 2025: IUML scrambling to preserve its stronghold in Kottakkal

The Kottakkal municipality, though a stronghold of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), gave uneven fortunes for the party in the recent term. Even after the IUML won 21 of the 32 seats, a rebel candidate backed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) briefly assumed the municipal chairperson’s role at the end of 2023.

Internal disputes were rampant within the IUML in Kottakkal until very recently. The party’s top leadership had to intervene to resolve a problem that emerged within the United Democratic Front (UDF) because of a rebel candidate of the party in a ward.

Abdu Mangadan, a former IUML councillor, launched himself as a rebel candidate in the Gandhi Nagar ward this election, which strained ties between the Congress and the IUML. When the ward was allocated to the Congress, the IUML’s rebel presence became a point of contention between the two parties.

State chief steps in

IUML State president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal stepped in and brokered a deal. Mr. Mangadan will now run as a UDF candidate on the Congress symbol.

The number of seats has increased from 32 to 35. Within the UDF, the IUML is contesting all but nine seats given to the Congress. A regime change in Kottakkal appears unlikely considering the dominance of the IUML.

The IUML had 20 seats in 2015 and 21 in 2020. The party says it is targeting 25 seats this time.

CPI(M)’s position

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], though weak in Kottakkal, is hopeful of cashing in on the differences within the UDF. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has had two seats both in 2015 and 2020.

Although the UDF began its tenure on a high note in Kottakkal with the former IUML leader U.A. Beeran’s daughter-in-law Bushra Shabeer becoming chairperson in 2020, discord soon surfaced within the party. Ms. Shabeer was forced to resign amid an internal rivalry.

When the IUML proposed K. Haneesha, an Ayurveda practitioner, to replace Ms. Shabeer, a rebellion emerged, led by Muhsina Poovanmadathil. Backed by the LDF, Ms. Muhsina defeated the party’s official candidate and became the chairperson by the end of 2023. Shaken, the IUML dissolved its Kottakkal municipal committee and gave Ms. Muhsina an ultimatum in January 2024 to resign as the municipal chairperson. After she stepped down, Dr. Haneesha was elected chairperson. The party has since been careful to keep internal rifts from tarnishing its image in Kottakkal.