After 25 years, Muslim League fields woman candidate in Kerala

The last time the party fielded a woman candidate was in 1996. Kamarunias Anwar lost to the CPIM’s Elamaram Kareem.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala, has fielded a woman candidate after 25 years. The party on Friday named Noorbina Rasheed, a lawyer, from Kozhikode South constituency.

Bringing back the ballot paper voting system is a popular demand raised by most opposition parties time and again as they suspect manipulation. However, the ECI has been insisting that EVM is a fool-proof system. (Pics for representation)

The last time the party fielded a woman candidate was in 1996. Kamarunias Anwar lost to the CPIM’s Elamaram Kareem. Though the IUML is a 72-year-old party with a strong presence in north Kerala’s Malabar and other areas, women always took a backseat in the party.

There were some shrill voices against the woman candidate this time also but the party ignored the elements. At least three women leaders have approached the party for tickets but luck fell on Rasheed who is also the national general secretary of the Women League. The party is contesting 27 seats this time, a hike of three seats from the last elections.

Though all parties talk big about women and youth representation, when candidates list finally surface they are overlooked citing “winnability criteria”. Women leaders, however, swear that they are better placed in poll battles than their male counterparts.

In a state where woman outnumber men (1,091 female for 1,000 men), electoral history shows women representation never crossed 10 per cent in the House. In the 14th assembly (2016-2021), there were nine female legislators in the 140-member House. This time, of the 85 seats the CPI(M) is contesting, 12 are women while junior partner CPI has four women among 25 of its candidates. The lists of Congress and BJP are yet to be announced.