Alappuzha, 25 March (H.S.):A political controversy has erupted in Kerala’s Kayamkulam constituency after a Muslim League leader made derogatory and allegedly sexist remarks against sitting LDF MLA U. Prathibha during an election campaign event.

The remarks were made by A. Irshad, the UDF convenor for the Kayamkulam constituency, while addressing a campaign convention held in support of UDF candidate M. Liju. During his speech, Irshad criticised the MLA’s performance and made personal comments that have since drawn sharp reactions.

Irshad alleged that U. Prathibha had failed in her role as an MLA and was “surviving on her speaking skills.” He further accused her of misusing political power, referring to a past case involving her son, and claimed that it reflected how authority could be used to influence outcomes.

The speech, however, took a controversial turn when Irshad made remarks perceived as sexist and personal, suggesting that the MLA was attempting to return to electoral politics without tangible development work, relying instead on rhetoric and personal appeal. The comments have been widely criticised for crossing the line of acceptable political discourse.

Notably, the remarks were made in the presence of senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, who attended the event, adding to the political sensitivity of the issue.

The controversy comes at a time when Kayamkulam is witnessing a tightly contested triangular fight in the run-up to the Assembly elections. The emergence of the video clip of Irshad’s speech on social media has further intensified the debate, with calls for accountability and restraint in political campaigning.

Meanwhile, earlier in the same event, UDF candidate M. Liju’s emotional remarks about his past electoral defeats had also gone viral, drawing significant attention online.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman