General Election: Muslim League To Field Same Candidates; Discussions For Third Seat Ongoing (Photo on X IUML Community @IUMLCommunity)

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a member of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance in Kerala, has decided to repeat their candidates in Malappuram and Ponnani. The party has now two Lok Sabha seats from the state – Malappuram and Ponnani constituencies.

However, according to sources, the current MP from Ponnani would be contesting from Malappuram while the Malappuram MP Abdussamad Samadani would be fielded in Ponnani.

For years, the party has been raising its demand for a third seat in the state and the discussions regarding the same have also held several times. As per the latest information, IUML is actively pressuring the Congress leadership, eying a third seat either Wayanad or Kannur.

At present, out of the total 20 Lok Sabha seats, IMUL was given two, Kerala Congress one and Revolutionary Socialist Party one. All the rest of the 16 seats are given to Indian National Congress party.

IUML is believed to be the third biggest political party in Kerala, with a significant influence in the northern part of the state. It is the major ally of the Congress in the UDF, being a defining power in the state assembly election. The party has been contesting Lok Sabha elections from the two seats, emerging victorious for decades.

With its organizational strength and grassroots social activities, the IUML has expanded its voter base in the state. The party leaders and its workers alike are optimistic about its performance and have been demanding an additional Lok Sabha seat for years. But it had not pressurised the Congress leadership more to wrestle the seat from the party in the past.

This time some of the party leaders have been vocal about their demand for a third seat, triggering seat-sharing discussions in the alliance. However, according to a report, the UDF is not going to give an additional seat to the Muslim League in the upcoming general election. The discussions regarding the same have also been settled as per reports. IUML leadership have been however claiming that the party is in talks with the Congress party and the discussions for the third seat are still going on.