Kerala Elections 2026: BJP Fields No Muslim Candidates

The candidate list released by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 has triggered political debate, as it does not include any candidates from the Muslim community despite the state’s significant Muslim population.

Kerala has around 27% Muslim population as per the 2011 Census, and in previous elections, the BJP had fielded at least one or two Muslim candidates, especially from districts like Malappuram.

However, this time, both the BJP and its NDA allies have not nominated any Muslim candidates.

Responding to the criticism, BJP Minority Morcha leaders said the absence was not intentional.

Party leaders, including vice president Abdul Salam and national vice-president A P Abdullakutty, clarified to Deccan Herald that candidate selection was based purely on “winnability” and not on caste or community considerations.

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Abdul Salam, who was the BJP’s only Muslim candidate in Kerala during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, said the party’s Muslim outreach programmes had received a positive response.

He also pointed to recent engagement efforts, including a meeting between Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as evidence of continued dialogue with the community.

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Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the Congress and the CPI(M) of trading allegations to consolidate Muslim votes. He claimed both parties were attempting to portray each other as aligned with the BJP for electoral gain.

On the other hand, Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan reiterated allegations of a tacit understanding between the BJP and CPI(M) in several constituencies.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan dismissed these claims, countering that the Congress had previously engaged in similar arrangements.

(With inputs from Deccan Herald)