“I have worked hard on the ground,” Noorbina Rasheed said. (File)
For the first time in 25 years, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the main ally of Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala, has fielded a woman candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections.
“This is about life or death”, Noorbina Rasheed, who is contesting the polls from Kozhikode South constituency, told NDTV.
Ms Rasheed, 58, started her political career when she was in her early 30s. She was the Founding General Secretary of State of the Kerala State Women’s League Committee and a Member of Kerala Women’s Commission among other prominent positions during her career.
“I have worked hard on the ground. I have several raised issues of women’s representation within the party several times, on many internal forums,” Ms Rasheed said, adding that she is the only woman member of the political affairs of the Muslim League.
The last time IUML fielded a woman candidate was in 1996. The candidate, Kamarunnisa Anwar, lost to CPI(M)’s Elamaram Kareen by around 8000 votes.
Meanwhile, Left Democractic Front has fielded it’s ally Indian National League’s General Secretary Ahammad Devarkovil from this constituency.
IUML announced candidates for 25 Assembly seats on Friday. Eight sitting MLAs have been fielded by the party, besides former Malappuram MP and senior party leader PK Kunhalikutty, who resigned from his Lok Sabha seat recently to contest the polls.
VK Ibrahim Kunju, accused in Palarivattom flyover scam case, and MC Kamaruddin, accused in the investment fraud case, have been denied tickets.
IUML has been allotted 27 seats out of the total 140. Two more candidates would be announced later.
Kerala will go to the polls on April 6 to elect 140 MLAs to the 15th State Legislative Assembly. Results will be counted on May 2, along with West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.