Thiruvananthapuram: Finding a political space almost vacant in Kerala, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has stepped in to fill it. In the past two elections, the minority communities in the State had been losing trust in both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), leading to the emergence of fringe elements with no political muscle in national politics.
Sniffing an opportunity, the TMC, led by firebrand MP Mahua Moitra, has reportedly chalked out a major drive to drum up support. With the help of TMC’s Kerala unit chief coordinator PV Anwar, she has reportedly scheduled a series of private meetings in Muslim-dominated Kozhikode and Malappuram, with the aim of strengthening TMC’s presence in the state. The brain-storming meetings are scheduled for February 22 and 23.
The move signals TMC’s intent to establish a strong footprint in Kerala's political landscape, starting from the northern part of the state where there is unease among the minority community.
She will be accompanied by Anwar and fellow TMC MPs Derek O’Brien and Yusuf Khan Pathan, further underscoring the party’s Kerala strategy. The Kerala initiative is reportedly backed by Abhishek Banerjee, TMC’s national general secretary, who has commissioned the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) to conduct a detailed survey of Kerala’s political landscape.
Mahua will not only be meeting Muslim leaders but also prominent and influential Christian chiefs.
The media say she is scheduled to meet IUML state president Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, senior leaders of Samastha Kerala Jem’iyyathul Ulama, and Mar Remigiose Inchananiyil, Bishop of the Thamarassery diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church. She will also visit the historic Tali temple in Kozhikode under the minority Hindu community.
During her visit, the All India Trinamool Congress Kerala (AITC-Kerala) has scheduled a conclave named ‘United for progress’ on February 23 at Manjeri in Malappuram district.
The media quoted sources as saying that the groundwork for a major political push has already commenced, and its findings will shape TMC’s state-level strategy.
Sources said a closed-door meeting is also scheduled with TMC’s cadre in Kerala. Anwar, who had been hunting for a political sanctuary before he gravitated towards the TMC and the DMK, is set to lead discussions with existing members. Decisions regarding office-bearers and committee formations will be made in this meeting.
Known for her fiery oratorical skills and a staunch critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the centre, her entry into Kerala politics has sparked interest among political observers.
