Perambra: Fathima Thahiliya, a 34-year-old advocate and postgraduate in law from the University of Calicut, has made history by becoming the first woman MLA of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), winning the high-profile Perambra Assembly constituency.
Representing the IUML, Thahiliya defeated senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor T. P. Ramakrishnan by a margin of 5,087 votes, securing a total of 81,429 votes in a closely contested election. The victory is particularly significant as Perambra has long been considered a Left stronghold.
Born in Peruvayal in Kozhikode, Thahiliya began her political journey through student activism. She was active in the Muslim Students Federation and later served as a councillor in the Kozhikode Corporation before entering electoral politics.
She holds a B.A. LL.B from Government Law College, Kozhikode, and an LL.M from Government Law College, Thrissur, and currently practises as an advocate at the Calicut District Court. She also serves as State Secretary of the Muslim Youth League, reflecting her steady rise within the party.
Thahiliya was one of only two women candidates fielded by the IUML, making her candidature a notable development in the constituency. Her contest drew widespread attention across Kerala due to both the high-stakes political battle and controversies during the campaign.
Soon after her candidature was announced, Thahiliya faced intense cyberattacks and online abuse, with her social media platforms flooded with sexually coloured and derogatory comments, including vulgar remarks and personal attacks. Much of the criticism targeted her identity as a young Muslim woman wearing a hijab, with some questioning her capability to contest elections.
She stated that such harassment was not new, recalling similar experiences during earlier local body elections in Kozhikode.
Another controversy, dubbed the “Kauminte Kutti” row, arose after allegations that campaign vehicles linked to the LDF made announcements referring to her as a “community candidate”. The United Democratic Front (UDF) accused the LDF of attempting to communalise the election by projecting her through her religious identity, leading to political backlash and complaints filed with the Election Commission.
Despite these challenges, Thahiliya emerged victorious, marking a significant political shift in a constituency traditionally dominated by the Left.