# Indian Union Muslim League

Indian Union Muslim League (abbreviated as the IUML or Muslim League) is a political party primarily based in Kerala. It is recognised as a State Party in Kerala by the Election Commission of India.
After the Partition of India, the first Council of the Indian segment of the All-India Muslim League was held on 10 March 1948 at the south Indian city of Madras (now Chennai). The party renamed itself as the 'Indian Union Muslim League' and adopted a new constitution on 1 September 1951.
IUML is a major member of the opposition United Democratic Front, the INC-led pre-poll state level alliance in Kerala. Whenever the United Democratic Front rules in Kerala, the party leaders are chosen as important Cabinet Ministers. The party has always had a constant, albeit small, presence in the Indian Parliament. The party is a part of the INDIA in national level. The League first gained a ministry (Minister of State for External Affairs) in Indian Government in 2004.
The party currently has five members in Parliament - E. T. Mohammed Basheer, M. P. Abdussamad Samadani and Kani K. Navas in the Lok Sabha and P. V. Abdul Wahab and Adv. Haris Beeran in the Rajya Sabha - and fifteen members in Kerala State Legislative Assembly.

## History

The first Muslim political agency in the region was the Kerala Muslim Majlis formed in 1931. It joined the federal setup of All-India Muslim League later.
After the partition of India in 1947, the All-India Muslim League was virtually disbanded. It was succeeded by the Indian segment of the Muslim League in the new Dominion of India (first session on 10 March 1948 and constitution passed on 1 September 1951). M. Muhammad Ismail, the then President of the Madras unit of the Muslim League was chosen as the Convener of the Indian segment of the party. The Travancore Muslim League (the States' Muslim League) was merged with the Malabar League in November 1956.
Indian Union Muslim League contests General Elections under the Indian Constitution. The party is normally represented by two members in the Indian Lower House (the Lok Sabha). B. Pocker, elected from Malappuram Constituency, was a member of the First Lower House (1952–57) from the Madras Muslim League. The party currently has four members in Parliament.
Apart from Kerala and West Bengal, the League had Legislative Assembly members in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Maharastra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam. In West Bengal, the League had won Assembly seats in the 1970s, and A. K. A. Hassanussaman was a member of the Ajoy Mukherjee cabinet.
Indian Union Muslim League first gained a ministry in Kerala Government as part of the Communist Party of India Marxist-led United Front in 1967. The party switched fronts in 1969 and formed an alliance with the Congress in 1976. It later became a chief constituent in a succession of Indian National Congress-led ministries.

### Early years

* First Council of the Indian segment of the Muslim League was held on 10 March 1948 at the south Indian city of Madras (now Chennai).
* On 1 September 1951, the 'Indian Union Muslim League' came into being in Madras (constitution was passed).
* B. Pocker Sahib, elected from Malappuram Constituency, was a member of the first Lok Sabha (1952–57).
* K. M Seethi Sahib served as the Speaker of the Kerala Assembly from 1960 to 1961.

### From the 1960s to the 80s

* The League gained a ministry in Kerala Government in 1967 (C. H. Mohammed Koya and M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal).
* The League oversaw the creation of the University of Calicut, the second university in Kerala, in 1968.
* Contribution to local government - the League oversaw the creation of Malappuram District in 1969.
* Death of M. Muhammad Ismail (1972) and Bafaqy Thangal (1973). Syed Ummer Bafaqy Thangal rebels against the leadership.

### With the Congress Party

* Muslim League formed an alliance with the Congress in 1976.
* C. H. Mohammed Koya served as the Chief Minister of Kerala from 12 October to 1 December 1979.
* Muslim League joined the Congress (Indira)-lead United Democratic Front in 1979/80.
* The 'rebel' Muslim League formed 'All India Muslim League' and joined the Left Front in 1980.
* C. H. Mohammed Koya and K. Avukaderkutty Naha served as Deputy Chief Ministers of Kerala in the 1980s.

### In the 1990s

* All India Muslim League (AIML) quit the Left Front and merged with the Muslim League in 1985.
* Demolition of the Babri Masjid (1992). Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal made a passionate plea to all the Muslims in Kerala to remain calm. Kerala remained peaceful throughout.
* Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait, then National President, rebelled and formed the Indian National League (INL) in 1994.
* Minister of Education (E. T. Mohammad Basheer) decided to establish the University of Sanskrit (1993) in Kerala.

### From the 2000s

* Atal Bihari Vajpayee dispatched E. Ahamed to the United Nations (Geneva) to represent India (2004).
* Mid-2000s witnessed the Manjeri (2004) and the Kuttippuram-Mankada (2006) defeats.
* The League first gained a ministry (E. Ahamed) in Indian Government (Manmohan Singh Ministry) in 2004.
* Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal died in 2009.
* The League won a record 20 out of the contested 23 seats in the 2011 Assembly Elections.
* The League remains in the Opposition for two consecutive terms (2016 and 2021)

### National President of Indian Union Muslim League

| No. | Name | Tenure | Home State |
| 1 | M. Muhammed Ismail | 10 March 1948 — 5 April 1972 | Tamil Nadu |
| 2 | Bafaqy Thangal | 1972 — 19 January 1973 | Kerala |
| 3 | Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait | 1973—1994 | Karnataka |
| 4 | G. M. Banatwala | 1994— 25 June 2008 | Maharashtra |
| 5 | E. Ahamed | 25 June 2008 — 1 February 2017 | Kerala |
| 6 | K. M. Kader Mohideen | 27 February 2017 — present | Tamil Nadu |

## Ideology

   The [Indian Union Muslim League] party...has shown strands of identity politics, but largely remained communitarian; it has at times been conservative, but never communal. It has furthered Muslim aspirations without antagonising any other segment—and hence has retained its centrality in the larger Kerala polity.
   The distinctive feature of the [Indian Union] Muslim League in Kerala is that it strove to keep the [Muslim] community at the centre of the [Kerala] state's politics, unlike other Muslim political formations elsewhere in India that revelled in confessional isolationism. As a result, the Kerala Muslims emerged as probably the only community of that faith in India that achieved genuine political empowerment on the one hand and, on the other, lived out the promise of equal citizenship enshrined in the [Indian] Constitution.
   If organising a religious community politically on the basis of antagonism to another is communalism, the IUML has never mobilised its cadre nor used its political and often administrative clout to create religious divides. On the contrary, whenever the state faced a communally sensitive situation, the party rose to the occasion and played a stellar role in dousing the flames....By practicing a brand of politics that could be termed communitarian rather than communal, the IUML succeeded in actualising the constitutional guarantee of equal citizenship for the Muslims in the state.

## Composition

| Designation | Name |
| Chairman- Political Advisory Committee (PAC) | Sadiq Ali Thangal (Kerala) |
| National President | K. M. Kader Mohideen (Tamil Nadu) |
| Vice Presidents | Iqbal Ahmed (Uttar Pradesh) |
| Vice Presidents | Dastagir Ibrahim Aga (Karnataka) |
| National General Secretary | P. K. Kunhalikutty (Kerala) |
| National Organising Secretary | E. T. Mohammed Basheer (Kerala) |
| National Treasurer | P. V. Abdul Wahab (Kerala) |
| Secretaries | Khorrum Anis Omer (Delhi) |
| Secretaries | M. P. Abdussamad Samadani (Kerala) |
| Secretaries | S. Naim Akthar (Bihar) |
| Secretaries | Siraj Ebrahim Sait (Karnataka) |
| Assistant Secretaries | Abdul Basith (Tamil Nadu) |
| Assistant Secretaries | Kausar Hayat Khan (Uttar Pradesh) |

### Organizational structure

* Youth Wing: Muslim Youth League (the Youth League)
** National President: Asif Ansari (New Delhi)
** National Secretary: Najma Thabsheera (Kerala)
** national Council Secretary: Faisal Babu (Kerala)
** National vice President Mufeeda Thesni (Kerala)
** Kerala State President: Sayyid Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal
** Kerala State secretary: Fathima Thahiliya
** Kerala State General Secretary: P. K. Firoz
* Students' Wing: Muslim Students Federation (M. S. F.)
** National President: P.V. Ahamed Saju
** National General Secretary: S. H. Muhammed Arshad
* Scheduled Caste Wing: Indian Union Dalit League
* Women's Political Wing: Haritha and Muslim Women's League
* Trade Union Organization (Kerala): Swatantra Thozhilali Union (S.T.U)
* Peasants' Union (Kerala): Swathanthra Karshaka Sangam (Independent Peasants Union)
* Advocates: Lawyers Forum
* Expatriates: Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (K. M. C. C.)

## Kerala Legislative Assembly

Source: http://www.ceo.kerala.gov.in/electionhistory.html Archived 11 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine

### Early years (1957 - 1979/80)

| Election | Seats | Vote% | Government/Opposition | Ministers | Sources |
| Election | Won (Contested) | Vote% | Government/Opposition | Ministers | Sources |
| 1957 | 8 (19) As independents | 4.72 | Opposition (to Namboodiripad Ministry) 1957 - 59 | Opposition (to Namboodiripad Ministry) 1957 - 59 | |
| 1960 | 11 (12) | 5.0 | Government (Pattom Ministry) 1960 - 62 Formally left the coalition in 1961 as an abstaining Opposition. | Excluded from the Pattom Ministry | |
| 1960 | 11 (12) | 5.0 | Abstaining Opposition (to Shankar Ministry) 1962 - 64 | Abstaining Opposition (to Shankar Ministry) 1962 - 64 | |
| 1965 | 6 (16) | 3.71 | Inconclusive (no government formed) | Inconclusive (no government formed) | |
| 1967 | 14 (15) | 6.75 | Government (Namboodiripad Ministry) 1967 - 69 | C. H. Mohammed Koya M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal (succeeded by K. Avukaderkutty Naha) | |
| 1967 | 14 (15) | 6.75 | Government (Achutha Menon Ministry) 1969 - 70 | C. H. Mohammed Koya K. Avukaderkutty Naha | |
| 1970 | 11 (20) | 7.7 | Government (Achutha Menon Ministry) 1970 - 77 | C. H. Mohammed Koya (succeeded by Chakkeeri Ahamed Kutty) K. Avukaderkutty Naha | |
| 1977 | 13 (16) | 6.65 | Government (Karunakaran Ministry) 1977 | C. H. Mohammed Koya K. Avukaderkutty Naha | |
| 1977 | 13 (16) | 6.65 | Government (Antony Ministry) 1977 - 78 | C. H. Mohammed Koya (replaced in-between by U. A. Beeran) K. Avukaderkutty Naha | |
| 1977 | 13 (16) | 6.65 | Government (PKV Ministry) 1978 - 79 | C. H. Mohammed Koya K. Avukaderkutty Naha | |
| 1977 | 13 (16) | 6.65 | Government (Koya Ministry) 1979 | C. H. Mohammed Koya | |

### With the United Democratic Front (1979/80 - present)

| Election | Seats | Vote % | Government/Opposition | Ministers |
| Election | Won (Contested) | Vote % | Government/Opposition | Ministers |
| 1980 | 14 (21) | 7.18 | Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry) 1980 - 81 | Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry) 1980 - 81 |
| 1980 | 14 (21) | 7.18 | Government (Karunakaran Ministry) 1981 - 82 | C. H. Mohammed Koya |
| 1982 | 14 (18) | 6.17 | Government (Karunakaran Ministry) 1982 - 87 | C. H. Mohammed Koya (succeeded by K. Avukaderkutty Naha) U. A. Beeran E. Ahamed |
| 1987 | 15 (23) | 7.73 | Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry) 1987 - 91 | Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry) 1987 - 91 |
| 1991 | 19 (22) | 7.37 | Government (Karunakaran Ministry) 1991 - 95 | P. K. Kunhalikutty E. T. Mohammad Basheer P. K. K .Bava C.T. Ahammed Ali |
| 1991 | 19 (22) | 7.37 | Government (Antony Ministry) 1995 - 96 | C. T. Ahammed Ali P. K. K. Bava P. K. Kunhalikutty E. T. Mohammad Basheer |
| 1996 | 13 (23) | 7.19 | Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry) 1996 - 2001 | Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry) 1996 - 2001 |
| 2001 | 16 (21) | 7.59 | Government (Antony Ministry) 2001 - 2004 | P. K. Kunhalikutty Nalakath Sooppy Cherkalam Abdullah M. K. Muneer |
| 2001 | 16 (21) | 7.59 | Government (Chandy Ministry) 2004 - 2006 | P. K. Kunhalikutty (replaced by V. K. Ebrahim Kunju) E. T. Mohammad Basheer M. K. Muneer Kutty Ahammed Kutty |
| 2006 | 7 (21) | 7.30 | Opposition (to Achuthanandan Ministry) 2006 - 11 | Opposition (to Achuthanandan Ministry) 2006 - 11 |
| 2011 | 20 (23) | 7.92 | Government (Chandy Ministry) 2011 - 16 | P. K. Kunhalikutty P. K. Abdu Rabb M. K. Muneer V. K. Ebrahim Kunju Manjalamkuzhi Ali |
| 2016 | 18 (23) | 7.40 | Opposition (to Vijayan Ministry) 2016 - 2021 | Opposition (to Vijayan Ministry) 2016 - 2021 |
| 2021 | 15 (25) | 8.27 | Opposition (to Vijayan Ministry) Incumbent | Opposition (to Vijayan Ministry) Incumbent |

### Current members

| Legislative Constituency | Member |
| Kerala ||
| Kasaragod ||
| Manjeshwaram | A. K. M. Ashraf |
| Kasaragod | N. A. Nellikkunnu |
| Kozhikode ||
| Koduvally | M. K. Muneer |
| Malappuram ||
| Kondotty | T. V. Ibrahim |
| Eranad | P. K. Basheer |
| Manjeri | U. A. Latheef |
| Perinthalmanna | Najeeb Kanthapuram |
| Mankada | Manjalamkuzhi Ali |
| Malappuram | P. Ubaidulla |
| Vengara | P. K. Kunhalikutty |
| Vallikkunnu | P. Abdul Hameed |
| Tirurangadi | K. P. A. Majeed |
| Tirur | Kurukkoli Moideen |
| Kottakkal | K. K. Abid Hussain Thangal |
| Palakkad ||
| Mannarkkad | N. Samsudheen |

## Electoral performance

Loksabha election results in Kerala :
| Election Year | Alliance | Seats contested | Seats won | Total Votes | Percentage of votes | +/- Vote |
| 2024 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 1,199,839 | 6.07% | 0.59% |
| 2019 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 1,111,697 | 5.48% | 0.94% |
| 2014 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 816,226 | 4.54% | 0.54% |
| 2009 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 813,741 | 5.07% | 0.21% |
| 2004 | UDF | 2 | 1 / 20 | 733,228 | 4.86% | 0.44% |
| 1999 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 810,135 | 5.30% | 0.29% |
| 1998 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 745,070 | 5.01% | 0.07% |
| 1996 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 745,070 | 5.08% | 0.06% |
| 1991 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 715,222 | 5.02% | 0.21% |
| 1989 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 780,322 | 5.23% | 0.06% |
| 1984 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 575,754 | 5.29% | 0.27% |
| 1980 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 454,235 | 5.60% | 0.40% |
| 1977 | UDF | 2 | 2 / 20 | 533,726 | 6.0% | 0.38% |
| 1971 | LDF | 2 | 2 / 19 | 366,702 | 5.62% | 0.98% |
| 1967 | LDF | 2 | 2 / 19 | 413,868 | 6.6% | 2.11% |
| 1962 | LDF | 3 | 2 / 18 | 248,038 | 4.49% | 2.84% |
| 1957 | | 1 | 1 / 18 | 99,777 | 1.65% | New |
Kerala Legislative Assembly election results :
| Election Year | Alliance | Seats contested | Seats won | Total Votes | Percentage of votes | +/- Vote |
| 2021 | UDF | 25 | 15 / 140 | 1,723,593 | 8.27% | 0.87% |
| 2016 | UDF | 23 | 18 / 140 | 1,496,864 | 7.4% | 0.52% |
| 2011 | UDF | 23 | 20 / 140 | 1,383,670 | 7.92% | 0.62% |
| 2006 | UDF | 21 | 7 / 140 | 1,135,098 | 7.30% | 0.70% |
| 2001 | UDF | 23 | 16 / 140 | 1,259,572 | 8.00% | 0.81% |
| 1996 | UDF | 22 | 13 / 140 | 1,025,556 | 7.19% | 0.18% |
| 1991 | UDF | 22 | 19 / 140 | 1,044,582 | 7.37% | 0.36% |
| 1987 | UDF | 23 | 15 / 140 | 985,011 | 7.73% | 1.56% |
| 1982 | UDF | 18 | 14 / 140 | 590,255 | 6.17% | 1.01% |
| 1980 | UDF | 21 | 14 / 140 | 684,910 | 7.18% | 0.52% |
| 1977 | UDF | 16 | 13 / 140 | 584,642 | 6.66% | 0.90% |
| 1970 | LDF | 20 | 11 / 133 | 569,220 | 7.56% | 0.81% |
| 1967 | LDF | 15 | 14 / 133 | 424,159 | 6.75% | 2.92% |
| 1965 | | 16 | 6 / 133 | 242,529 | 3.83% | 1.13% |
| 1960 | | 12 | 11 / 126 | 401,925 | 4.96% | New |
| 1957 | | 19 | 8 / 126 | | 4.72% | |

## List of Union Ministers

| No. | Portfolio | Name (Lifespan) | Assumed office | Left office | Duration | Constituency (House) | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| 1 | Minister of External Affairs (MoS) | E. Ahamed (1938–2017) | 23 May 2004 | 22 May 2009 | 4 years, 364 days | Ponnani (Lok Sabha) | Prime Minister | Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| 1 | Minister of Railways (MoS) | E. Ahamed (1938–2017) | 28 May 2009 | 19 January 2011 | 1 year, 236 days | Malappuram (Lok Sabha) | | | Manmohan Singh |
| 1 | Minister of External Affairs (MoS) | E. Ahamed (1938–2017) | 19 January 2011 | 26 May 2014 | 3 years, 127 days | Malappuram (Lok Sabha) | | | Manmohan Singh |
| 1 | Minister of Human Resource Development (MoS) | E. Ahamed (1938–2017) | 12 July 2011 | 28 October 2012 | 1 year, 108 days | Malappuram (Lok Sabha) | | | Manmohan Singh |

## Members of Parliament
### Loksabha

Source: Loksabha
* 1st House
** B. Pocker (Malappuram)
* 2nd House - No members
** B. Pocker (Manjeri) - independent
* 3rd House
** C. H. Mohammed Koya (Kozhikode)
** M. Muhammad Ismail (Manjeri)
* 4th House
** M. Muhammad Ismail (Manjeri)
** Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (Kozhikode)
** S. M. Muhammed Sheriff (Ramanathapuram)
* 5th House
** M. Muhammad Ismail (Manjeri)
** Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (Kozhikode)
** S. M. Muhammed Sheriff (Periyakulam)
** Abu Taleb Chowdhury (Murshidabad) - independent
* 6th House
** G. M. Banatwalla (Ponnani)
** Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (Manjeri)
7th House
** G. M. Banatwalla (Ponnani)
** Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (Manjeri)
** A. K. A. Abdul Samad(Vellore)
8th House
** G. M. Banatwalla (Ponnani)
** Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (Manjeri)
9th House
** G. M. Banatwalla (Ponnani)
** Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (Manjeri)
** A. K. A. Abdul Samad (Vellore)
* 10th House
** Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (Ponnani)
** E. Ahamed (Manjeri)
* 11th-13th Houses
** G. M. Banatwalla (Ponnani)
** E. Ahamed (Manjeri)
* 14th House
** E. Ahamed (Ponnani) as Union Minister of State.
** K.M. Kader Mohideen(Vellore)
* 15th House
** E. Ahamed (Malappuram) as Union Minister of State
** E. T. Mohammed Basheer(Ponnani)
** Abdul Rahman (Vellore)
* 16th House
** E. Ahamed and P. K. Kunhalikutty (Malappuram)
** E. T. Mohammed Basheer (Ponnani)
* 17th House
** P. K. Kunhalikutty and M. P. Abdussamad Samadani (Malappuram)
** E. T. Mohammed Basheer (Ponnani)
** K. Navas Kani (Ramanathapuram)
* 18th House
** E. T. Mohammed Basheer(Malappuram)
** M. P. Abdussamad Samadani (Ponnani)
** K. Navas Kani (Ramanathapuram)

### Rajya Sabha

Source: Rajyasabha
* M. Muhammad Ismail (1952–58) - independent
Kerala
* Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait (1960–66)
* Abdulla Koya (1967–73, 1974–98)
* Hamid Ali Schamnad (1970–79)
* Abdussamad Samadani (1994–2006)
* Korambayil Ahammed (1998–03)
* P. V. Abdul Wahab (2004–10, 2015–21)
* Adv.Haris Beeran (2024-
Tamil Nadu
* A. K. A. Abdul Samad (1964–70)
* S. A. Khwaja Mohideen (1968–74)
* A. K. A. Abdul Samad (1970– 76)
* A. K. Refaye (1972–78)
* S. A. Khwaja Mohideen (1974-80)

## Controversies

The party when in control of the local self-government department, issued a circular which legalised marriage for Muslim women between ages of 16 and 18 and Muslim men below age 21.The circular was later amended after backlash.
The Muslim League has opposed the Supreme Court of India verdict regarding entry of adult women to Sabarimala temple. It is also at odds with several LGBTQ rulings from the Supreme Court. The party also supports the primacy of Muslim Personal Law among Indian Muslims.
IUML opposes implementing gender neutrality and comprehensive sex education in school curriculum saying that it promotes homosexuality, leads to sexual anarchy and is part of an atheist-liberal conspiracy to destroy religious values.
An article by the current president of the Muslim League, on Hagia Sophia, seemed to support the views of political Islam.
Muslim League generally presents itself as a conservative political party in Kerala. In 2021, ten female leaders from the disbanded Haritha state committee lodged a police complaint against the state president of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) and the Malappuram district general secretary, accusing them of making sexual remarks.
In July 2023, following the Manipur violence where a woman was paraded naked in public, members of the Muslim League raised anti Hindu slogans in Kanhangad, located in the Kasaragod district of Kerala. The following day, Kerala Police arrested five of those members. Upon criticism over the incident, the State President of IUML Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal responded on 28 July, saying no one has the right to hurt the sentiments and faith of others.