As the political battle in Kayamkulam heated up, the United Democratic Front (UDF) was embroiled in controversy after one of its leaders was accused of making a misogynistic remark against Left Democratic Front candidate U. Prathibha.
The incident took place on Wednesday evening during the UDF convention in Kayamkulam, when Irshad Chakkalassery, UDF mandalam convener and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader, reportedly said that Ms Prathibha was relying on her oratorical skills and physical appearance to win over voters. The remark drew protests from various quarters after which Mr. Chakkalassery tendered an unconditional apology.
Ms. Prathibha reacted strongly and announced that she would initiate legal proceedings against the UDF leader. She claimed she never indulged in personal attacks against her opponents and said such remarks were unacceptable.
“No one should talk about others in such a way. Even more disturbing is his body language and the fact that no one present at the scene responded to his remarks. I intend to take strong legal action in this matter,” she said.
However, Mr. Chakkalassery claimed that his words were taken out of context and misinterpreted. He also expressed regret if his statements hurt anyone.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also condemned the incident. “The use of abusive language against a woman in public life reflects a serious decline in political culture. The Right, unable to counter the development initiatives and public engagement led by Comrade Prathibha for political reasons, seems to be resorting to personal attacks instead,” he said in a post on social media.
He said repeated claims by opposition and UDF leaders that “we stand with her” were in stark contrast to their silence on such misogynistic behavior and exposed what he described as hypocrisy.
M Liju, the UDF candidate in Kayamkulam, also expressed his disapproval of the IUML leader’s remarks.
The IUML state committee later informed that Mr. Chakkalassery has been suspended from the party’s primary membership pending investigation.
Published – 25 March 2026 19:20 IST
