IUML, Congress vow to end ‘Sambar Munnani’ era

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Congress, two prominent constituents of the United Democratic Front (UDF), have agreed not to contest against each other in the upcoming local body elections.

A high-level discussion between Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and IUML leaders, including State president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal and national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, paved the way for the agreement between the Congress and the IUML.

The Congress and the IUML, despite their long-standing national-level alliance, have had a history of intense local-level rivalry, especially in parts of the Malappuram district. This rivalry, rooted in historical differences, often resulted in rebel candidates or contests outside the UDF framework.

The rivalry escalated to the point where the Congress sought the Left Democratic Front (LDF) backing against the IUML in some areas, while the IUML did the same against the Congress in others.

The discord between the Congress and the IUML gave rise to the formation of groups locally referred to as ‘Sambar Munnani’, a colloquial term referring to an alliance consisting of diverse, often incongruous elements, much like the mixed ingredients found in sambar.

The IUML and the Congress agreed to prioritise merit as the sole criterion for selecting candidates. According to reports, the IUML asked the Congress to refrain from imposing candidates based on intra-party group affiliations.

The IUML and the Congress are optimistic that, by working together in all panchayats and municipalities, the UDF can win over three-fourths of the seats in Malappuram district.