Malappuram, KERALA :

Party in Malappuram upbeat over Muslim women entering the fray

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finally found two Muslim women to contest the elections in Malappuram, the only Muslim-majority district in the State.

T.P. Sulfath from Wandoor and Ayisha Hussain from Chemmad have become the first Muslim woman duo in Malappuram to contest an election under the BJP’s banner.

Ms. Sulfath filed her nomination for the Wandoor grama panchayat from Ward 6 (Shanti-Koottambara) on Wednesday. Ms. Ayisha will file her nomination on Thursday for the Ponmundam grama panchayat from Ward 9.

The BJP in Malappuram has been upbeat over finding Muslim women to contest the local body elections. Although Ms. Sulfath was offered a district panchayat division, she chose her own grama panchayat as she has been keen on beginning from the grassroots.

Fan of Modi

An avid fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ms. Sulfath said the progressive policies followed by the BJP had attracted her to that party. “Who else can implement such progressive measures as banning triple talaaq and raising marriageable age for women? There is none in current Indian politics to match Modiji not only in charisma but in efficiency and determination as well,” she told The Hindu.

A mother of two children, Ms. Sulfath prefers to be self-reliant by engaging in a variety of business.

Married at 15, Ms. Sulfath said her life had taught her the bitter lessons of entering into nuptials as a child. Her progressive thoughts have won her many new friends and fans. Youngsters have started approaching her for selfies.

Ms. Sulfath is not certain about staging an upset in a ward where the BJP has a weak base.

“But my candidature sends home the message that the BJP is a safe party. We want a third alternative to end the adjustment politics being played by the United Democratic Front and the Left Democratic Front,” she said.

Ms. Ayisha too is a first timer in the fray. Mother of a 10-year-old girl, Ms. Ayisha too has been a fan of Vajpayee and Modi. Her husband Hussain Varikkottil, who is a district committee member of the Minority Morcha, is also contesting to the Malappuram district panchayat from the Edarikode division under the BJP banner.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> States> Kerala / by Abdul Latheef Naha / November 19th, 2020