MALAPPURAM: Sports Minister V Abdurahiman, the LDF candidate from Tirur, will contest on the CPM symbol for the first time in his electoral career, marking a shift from his earlier status as an LDF-backed independent candidate. In all previous elections, he had used the ‘Glass Tumbler’ symbol.
After aligning with the LDF, Abdurahiman had associated with P T A Rahim’s National Secular Conference primarily to secure an election symbol, though he was not actively involved in its organisational activities.
His formal induction into the CPM in 2023 paved the way for him to contest under the party’s official symbol this time. Abdurahiman first made electoral inroads by significantly reducing the lead of IUML leader E T Muhammed Basheer in Ponnani during the 2014 parliamentary elections.
He later went on to win twice from Tanur as a candidate of the National Secular Conference, consistently retaining the ‘Glass Tumbler’ symbol. In a notable shift, Abdurahiman is contesting from Tirur this time instead of his traditional stronghold of Tanur. Indications of a constituency change had surfaced earlier, with Abdurahiman expressing a preference for Tirur.
Status update
In all previous elections, V Abdurahiman had used the ‘Glass Tumbler’ symbol. His induction into the CPM in 2023 paved the way for him to contest under the party’s symbol this time, marking a shift from his status as an LDF-backed independent candidate