Kerala assembly elections: Fathima Thahiliya is IUML’s first woman MLA

Kozhikode: IUML's Fathima Thahiliya has scripted history by becoming the party's first woman MLA in its 75-year journey, after her victory in Perambra defeating LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan. A lawyer and Kozhikode corporation councillor, Thahiliya's candidature was initially seen as a difficult gamble in a constituency CPM had held for decades. But in a campaign which saw her cultivate support with a personal touch, Thahiliya stunned her heavyweight opponent and rewrote the political script. As her campaign gathered momentum, attempts were made by rivals to counter her rise through narratives like ‘Kauminte Kutti'. LDF leaders like Ahamed Devarkovil stirred controversy by stating that she was a nominee of Jamaat-e-Islami. However, these strategies appeared to backfire. Despite efforts to polarize voters, Thahiliya's candidacy cut across social and political lines. Thahiliya's political journey has been shaped by her role as a reform-oriented voice within the party. As the founding president of Haritha, the women's wing of the Muslim Students Federation, she was at the forefront of raising questions around gender justice. Even as she faced significant political risks after Haritha leaders raised allegations against senior male MSF leaders, she remained steadfast in her demand for a more inclusive and respectful political environment. Though IUML had also fielded another woman leader Jayanthi Rajan in Koothuparamba this election, she did not win. Historically, IUML deviated from its all-male candidate pattern only twice. In 1996, Khamarunnisa Anwar was fielded from Calicut II (now Kozhikode South) and in 2021, Noorbina Rasheed contested from Kozhikode South. Both, however, had failed to gain entry to the assembly. For decades, IUML has tried to balance the growing demands for greater women representation with the conservative stance of powerful clerical bodies.