Kerala local body polls: BJP’s Muslim candidate registers surprise win in Thrissur Corporation
In Thrissur on Dec 13 (LatestNewsX), the Bharatiya Janata Party announced that its Muslim candidate, Mumtaz, has captured the Kannankulangara ward in the city’s corporation elections, stripping that seat from Congress. The result is being hailed as a win for the BJP’s push into wards that had long been held by the opposition. While the party had already put forward a prominent entrepreneur to contest, Mumtaz’s entry was both unexpected and distinctive, and she remains the only Muslim nominee fielded by the BJP in Thrissur.
Mumtaz came out on top in the 35th division—a ward that is predominantly Hindu. She and her family have been active as workers and supporters of the BJP for about eight years. In recent times, she also handled responsibilities for the party’s Minority Morcha, based in Chennai.
In her own words, an entrepreneur who runs a pet‑grooming shop here, she sees her candidacy as a chance to serve her hometown. Before the campaign, she pointed to the development vision laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a key reason she joined the BJP.
Beyond her own story, the election also spotlighted the rising presence of women in local politics, with 28 female candidates contesting seats. During a press interview, Mumtaz remarked, “I have been working for the party for the past eight years. The party chose me because it felt I was capable of reaching out to the people. Whether it is my business or my personal life, I am someone who engages actively with society.”
The campaign saw Mumtaz beating Congress’s Sindhu Chakkolayil in Kannankulangara, while Seena ran as the Left Democratic Front nominee. The BJP’s success in this ward, and the broader participation of women, mark a notable shift in Thrissur’s political landscape.
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