Row over LDF advertisement continues on poll day

Bickerings over a provocative advertisement placed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) on the front pages of two Sunni newspapers, Suprabhatham and Siraj, on the eve of the Palakkad Assembly byelection continued on the polling day as well.

The advertisement portrayed Sandeep Varier, who recently quit the BJP and joined the Congress, as a hardcore RSS man by reproducing his old social media posts. It was widely believed that the advertisement was intended to cause a rethink among the traditional Muslim community.

Suprabhatham and Siraj are the Malayalam mouthpieces of the Sunni groups led by Syed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal and Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar. Together, these two groups wield a considerable clout over the traditional Muslim community, particularly in Malabar.

Although they distanced themselves from the advertisement, both the Sunni groups have expressed displeasure at the content. According to Suprabhatham vice-chairman Zainul Abideen Safari, the advertisement should have been avoided as it was likely to help the BJP.

Abdul Hakeem Azhari, son of A.P. Aboobacker Musliar and leader of the Sunni Yuvajana Sangham, said that Siraj had been misled into carrying the advertisement. “We thought it was a common advertisement given to all newspapers. We carried it thinking that we would miss out if we refused it,” Mr. Azhari said.

The Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) condemned the advertisement saying that it was clearly meant to help the BJP. Congress national general secretary K.C. Venugopal, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, and IUML national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty said that it would boomerang on the LDF.

Mr. Kunhalikutty said that he would take up the issue with the Samastha after the election results on November 23.

Within the LDF too, there was discord about the advertisement. Apart from the CPI, CPI(M) leader N.N. Krishnadas too disproved of it.

Published - November 20, 2024 07:38 pm IST