Kerala's Political Paradox: Marginal Jamaat-e-Islami Gains Outsized Electoral Focus
Kozhikode: Kerala is once again witnessing a striking political paradox. Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI), which does not even account for 1% of the Muslim population in the state, is being thrust into the political centre stage. This occurs despite its political arm, the Welfare Party of India (WPI), securing only a miniscule vote share of 0.12% in the 2025 local self-government polls.
Negligible Strength, Major Narrative
Despite its negligible numerical strength, JEI and its electoral associations are key to the electoral narrative strategies of Kerala's major fronts, and this election cycle is no exception. With WPI extending support to the United Democratic Front (UDF) while tactically backing candidates across fronts who are best positioned to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in constituencies where the latter may win, the question of JEI's political alignment has reemerged as a key campaign plank for both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the BJP.
CPM has already sharpened its attack on UDF for its alleged proximity to JEI. While CPM frames its opposition as an ideological battle against political Islam, the sustained focus on such a marginal outfit is driven less by ideological clarity and more by electoral calculus. This is particularly notable given that JEI had taken pro-CPM positions for nearly two decades until the first Pinarayi Vijayan government assumed power in 2016.
Electoral Calculus and Cultural Influence
CPM's strategy of amplifying the JEI factor in recent elections is aimed at shaping broader political narratives and attempting to tap into anxieties within sections of the majority community and Christians over JEI's alleged adherence to pan-Islamic ideology and a theocentric political order. In doing so, JEI's core membership, including its 'rukun' (estimated to be around 3,000) and 'karkun' (a wider support base of less than 20,000), are being provided an outsized presence in Kerala's high-stakes political battleground.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has stated that JEI's communal ideologies are similar to those followed by Hindutva outfits. He called it an Islamist version of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and a revivalist organization working to create an 'Islamic world', adding that the majority of Muslims in Kerala, who are Sunnis and Muhajids, do not subscribe to JEI's ideologies.
He also accused opposition leader VD Satheesan of whitewashing JEI by citing remarks made during the Nilambur bypoll that it had changed its stance on a theocratic state, and claimed that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) was gradually becoming subservient to organizations like JEI. Senior CPM leader AK Balan recently alleged that if UDF came to power, JEI would control the home department.
Beyond Electoral Metrics
At the same time, analysts note that JEI's influence cannot be measured purely in electoral terms. Historian and political commentator AN Shinas observed that JEI possesses a degree of 'cultural density' within a section of the Muslim community, functioning as an opinion-making force through its media platforms Madhyamam and MediaOne. He said JEI's ability to shape discourse can generate anti-CPM sentiment that extends beyond its formal cadre base, indirectly influencing wider community perceptions.
"It is that aspect CPM fears. They fear that JEI's propaganda is being internalized by workers affiliated to other Muslim organizations and can influence people in the community in a significant manner," he explained.
Historical Shifts and Current Hostilities
The present hostility between CPM and JEI marks a departure from a complex past. During most elections since the early 2000s, the JEI Kerala unit had extended tacit support to the Left Democratic Front (LDF). This equation began to unravel after 2016 as JEI recalibrated its political stance, eventually backing UDF in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, stating that Congress was better positioned to counter the Sangh Parivar.
CPM's electoral setback in 2019 appears to have further hardened its stance, leading to a more systematic campaign against JEI. This included efforts to highlight opposition to JEI's ideology from influential EK and AP Sunni organizations. Both outfits passed resolutions against JEI ideologies at their centenary celebrations. In 2024, CPM passed a resolution at its Madurai Party Congress terming JEI as a Muslim fundamentalist and extremist organization.
UDF's Delicate Balancing Act
For UDF, the association presents a delicate balancing act. While leaders are aware that any perceived proximity to JEI could alienate sections of Hindu and Christian voters, they believe that anti-incumbency sentiments against the LDF government will override such concerns.
Ultimately, Kerala's familiar paradox plays out once again. A marginal organization with scant electoral weight continues to draw outsized attention, less for its numbers than for the narratives constructed around it, shaping the state's dynamic political landscape in profound ways.
