MALAPPURAM: Ever heard of a place called Moscow in Malappuram? In the political heartland of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), there exists an unlikely island of red -- ward 9 of Irimbiliyam panchayat, locally known as Moscow. For over three decades, this tiny communist pocket has stood firmly with left candidates, even as the rest of the panchayat remains unwaveringly loyal to the Muslim League.
With elections around the corner, the CPM’s deep roots are visible at every turn here, shaping a political identity that stands apart from its surroundings. “It all began in the 1950s with a tailor named Ayyappan,” says ward member and senior CPM leader Balachandran.
“He was a committed socialist with great knowledge of communism. His tailoring shop was at the junction, and people who came there heard him speak about the erstwhile Soviet Union, China, and communist movements. It was through Ayyappan chettan that the youth here first learned about communism. Many were attracted to the ideology.”
According to Balachandran, the turning point was in 1962, when a group of young comrades formed a club called the Vijaya Kala Samithi. “They were the ones who named the place Moscow -- after the Soviet, and, now Russian, capital. As far as I can remember, until 2015, we had only communist members in this ward. We have created many clubs and youth groups under the CPM. There is a space called the Janakeeya Vedi at Moscow junction where people discuss politics and social issues. We are also building our purely crowdfunded party office,” he said.
Recalling a rare electoral setback, Balachandran said the CPM lost in 2015 by a small margin to Congress candidate Manjula. “She hailed from a wealthy family. From what we know, money power influenced many voters. But we comfortably won the block panchayat seat. We still believe it was the candidate’s money power that tilted the result,” he said.
The reversal didn’t last long. “We were determined not to give up. That’s how the party decided to field me in 2020. I was ward member in 2005 before going on to become local committee secretary and area committee member. The party wanted the ward at any cost. We worked hard, met every voter, and I won by a comfortable margin,” Balachandran noted.
This time, Moscow is reserved for women. The CPM has fielded long-time comrade Divya Anand, a nursery school teacher and a familiar face among residents. “We have already completed the first phase of campaigning. We are confident of continuing our legacy,” he added.
Enduring bastion
Irimbiliyam panchayat is traditionally an IUML stronghold, with Congress also holding pockets of influence. Like most panchayats in Malappuram, CPM remains weak here – except in a handful of wards, with Moscow being its most enduring bastion