MALAPPURAM: Tirurangadi has long functioned as an IUML bastion that routinely sends heavyweight leaders to the assembly. But this election campaign has exposed rare cracks in that dominance.
IUML candidate P M A Sameer entered the fray under a cloud, with the Abdurahiman Randathani controversy threatening to derail his campaign in its early stages. Public backlash briefly pushed Sameer onto the defensive, triggering murmurs of factional unrest within the party. However, swift intervention by the leadership and a show of organisational muscle have contained the damage. The party has now closed ranks and Sameer is widely tipped to retain the seat with a comfortable margin.
Tirurangadi is no ordinary constituency. It has produced power centres at the very top of governance, including chief minister, deputy chief minister, and ministers holding key portfolios like education, local self-government, fisheries,and public works.
This year, Sameer’s candidature triggered open rebellion within sections of the IUML. Senior leader Abdurahiman Randathani publicly criticised Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal over the selection process, laying bare internal fissures. The dissent, however, was short-lived. Under firm party direction, Randathani fell in line and declared full support to Sameer, reinforcing the League’s culture of enforced unity after internal disputes.
Sameer, projecting confidence, told TNIE that the campaign is progressing without disruption. He claimed overwhelming public response at campaign events and expressed certainty that the IUML will once again register a decisive victory.
The opposition, however, is not conceding ground without a fight. The CPI has fielded senior district leader Ajith Kolady as the LDF candidate, aiming to capitalise on internal discontent within the IUML and cut down its winning margin. For the LDF, the strategy is clear. Even if victory remains a steep climb, denting the League’s dominance is a political objective in itself.
The BJP has nominated Riju C Raghav as the NDA candidate. The party’s presence in Tirurangadi remains marginal, with just 8,314 votes out of 1,47,771 polled in 2021. This time, though, the BJP is focused on expanding its vote share and establishing a stronger foothold in a constituency where it has historically struggled to make an impact.