Kerala, India: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the nomination of Dr. M Abdul Salam, former Vice Chancellor of Calicut University and distinguished agronomist, as their candidate for the Malappuram Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming elections. This strategic move positions Salam as the sole Muslim candidate in the BJP’s initial list of 195 Lok Sabha nominees released on Saturday.
Dr. Salam is set to contest against E T Muhammed Basheer, a seasoned Parliamentarian representing the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). In response, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has fielded V Vaseef, the state president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), as their candidate.
Serving as the Vice Chancellor of Calicut University from 2011 to 2015, Dr. Salam was initially nominated by the IUML. However, in 2019, he made a significant political shift by joining the BJP, aligning with the party’s efforts to diversify and include more minority faces.
In the previous state elections held in 2021, Dr. Salam contested from Tirur but faced defeat against IUML’s Kurukkoli Moideen. Despite managing to secure only 5.33% of the votes, his foray into politics marked a notable transition from academia to the political arena.
Dr. Salam’s tenure as the Vice Chancellor of Calicut University was characterized by controversial decisions, including attempts to sell university land and admit students to degree courses without a plus-two qualification.
This upcoming electoral battle in Malappuram promises to be a closely watched contest, with Dr. Salam aiming to secure the BJP’s foothold in a Muslim-dominated constituency. His candidacy highlights the BJP’s ongoing efforts to broaden its appeal and representation among minority communities.