With two weeks left in the run-up to the April 9 Assembly election, discussions within the State’s Muslim community suggest a shifting political mood, with no clear consensus on voting preferences.
Bloc voting appears unlikely, and many voters are expected to base their choices on merit and local factors. However, there are signs of a perceptible shift from the 2021 elections, when a significant section of the community had backed the Left Democratic Front (LDF).
The controversial remarks made by SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan a couple of months ago seem to have deeply influenced Muslim voter sentiment. While his comments initially triggered resentment, some believe their impact has softened over time. However, the perceived tacit support extended by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to him continues to cause unease within the community.
“Mr. Natesan has hurt the sentiments of large sections of ordinary Muslims with his baseless remarks, and he could be a key factor if the community shifts away from the LDF this time,” says Siraj Karoly, a High Court lawyer and State executive member of the Congress (S) led by Kadannappally Ramachandran.
Mr. Karoly notes that minority voters had largely backed the LDF in the 2016 and 2021 elections, when the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power at the Centre. However, citing trends in the recent local body polls, he says the situation had changed significantly. The shift, he says, is not uniform. “Sections of the community, particularly intellectuals, may still favour the LDF,” he says.
