The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has crossed a historic political threshold in Kerala`s 2026 Assembly elections, electing its first-ever woman Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Adv. Fathima Thahiliya secured the Perambra constituency, a traditional stronghold of the Left Democratic Front, by defeating veteran CPI(M) leader and LDF convenor T.P. Ramakrishnan.
According to official data released by the Election Commission of India and reported by The Hindu, the 34-year-old lawyer polled 81,429 votes, clinching the seat with a decisive margin of 5,087 votes. The victory represents a major upset in the Kozhikode district, where Ramakrishnan had remained undefeated over the past three cycles and had previously won the 2021 election by a comfortable margin of over 22,000 votes.
Thahiliya`s triumph breaks a 75-year precedent for the IUML, a key ally in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Historically, the party`s conservative framework resulted in minimal electoral representation for women. Prior to this cycle, the party had fielded female candidates only twice—Kamarunnisa Anwar in 1996 and Noorbina Rasheed in 2021—both of whom failed to secure their respective Kozhikode South seats. A second woman candidate fielded by the IUML this year, Jayanthi Rajan, also lost her contest in Koothuparamba.
A report by The Week highlighted the intensive ground campaign led by Thahiliya. The publication noted that prominent national figures, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, joined her campaign trail in late March to rally support. Rather than relying solely on traditional party machinery, Thahiliya utilised targeted social media outreach and personal interactions to address local welfare and livelihood issues, effectively bridging the gap with older, undecided voters.
The political journey to the Kerala Legislative Assembly has not been without significant internal hurdles for the newly elected MLA. The Times of India notes that Thahiliya built her reputation as a reform-oriented voice within the Muslim Students Federation (MSF). As the founding state president of `Haritha`, the MSF’s women’s wing, she consistently advocated for gender justice, the right to wear a hijab as part of one`s identity, and the right of Muslim women to access equal educational spaces.
Her outspoken stance previously placed her at odds with sections of her own party`s leadership. In 2021, she faced severe political backlash, including removal from her post as MSF national vice-president, after publicly supporting Haritha members who filed complaints with the State Women`s Commission regarding alleged derogatory remarks made by senior male leaders.
Despite these past controversies, her electoral success indicates a shifting dynamic within the IUML`s voter base and leadership strategy. The Hindu`s political analysis suggests that under the relatively liberal outlook of State President Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, the party is gradually expanding its acceptance of women in public life. The implementation of a 50 percent reservation for women in local self-government institutions across Kerala has also made broader political inclusion unavoidable.
Political analysts view the Perambra result as a bellwether for the wider Malabar region. Thahiliya’s ability to draw votes across social and political divides, despite opposition campaigns questioning her experience, underscores a changing electorate that is increasingly receptive to younger, progressive leadership. As she prepares to take her oath in the Assembly, the victory is being viewed across political lines as a watershed moment for female representation in the state.
