Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), or simply the Muslim League, is a Muslim political party based in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 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).Wright, T. (1966). The Muslim League in South India since Independence: A Study in Minority Group Political Strategies. The American Political Science Review, 60(3), 579–599. 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 United Democratic Front, the INC-led state level ruling alliance in Kerala.James Chiriyankandath (1996) Changing Muslim politics in Kerala: identity, interests and political strategies, Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 16:2, 257-271. With a strong comeback to power the party shares important cabinet ministries in Keralam government. 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 twenty two 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.Chief Minister of Kerala (Official Website) 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) The League achieves its best-ever result and moves back into government (2026)
National President of Indian Union Muslim League
No. Name Portrait 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
Composition Designation NameChairman- Political Advisory Committee (PAC)Sadiq Ali Thangal (Kerala)National PresidentK. M. Kader Mohideen (Tamil Nadu)Vice PresidentsIqbal Ahmed (Uttar Pradesh)Dastagir Ibrahim Aga (Karnataka)National General SecretaryP. K. Kunhalikutty (Kerala)National Organising SecretaryE. T. Mohammed Basheer (Kerala)National TreasurerP. V. Abdul Wahab (Kerala)SecretariesKhorrum Anis Omer (Delhi)M. P. Abdussamad Samadani (Kerala)Jayanthi Rajan (Kerala)S. Naim Akthar (Bihar)Siraj Ebrahim Sait (Karnataka)Assistant SecretariesAbdul Basith (Tamil Nadu)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) National Secretary: Ch. Ajrudin Advocate (Haryana) 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
Early years (1957–1979/80) Election Seats Vote% Government/Opposition Ministers SourcesWon (Contested)19578 (19) As independents 4.72Opposition (to Namboodiripad Ministry) 1957–59Jeffrey, Robin. "Politics, Women and Well-Being: How Kerala became a Model" Palgrave McMillan (1992); 112 and 114.196011 (12)5.0 Government (Pattom Ministry) 1960–62
Formally left the coalition in 1961 as an abstaining Opposition.Wright, Theodore P. 'The Muslim League in South India since Independence.' American Political Science Review, vol. 60, no. 3, 1966, pp. 579–599., doi:10.2307/1952972.Excluded from the Pattom MinistryAbstaining Opposition (to Shankar Ministry) 1962–6419656 (16)3.71 Inconclusive (no government formed)196714 (15)6.75 Government (Namboodiripad Ministry)
1967–69C. H. Mohammed Koya M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal (succeeded by K. Avukaderkutty Naha)Government (Achutha Menon Ministry) 1969–70C. H. Mohammed Koya K. Avukaderkutty Naha197011 (20)7.7 Government (Achutha Menon Ministry) 1970–77C. H. Mohammed Koya (succeeded by Chakkeeri Ahamed Kutty) K. Avukaderkutty Naha197713 (16)6.65 Government (Karunakaran Ministry) 1977C. H. Mohammed Koya K. Avukaderkutty NahaGovernment (Antony Ministry) 1977–78C. H. Mohammed Koya (replaced in-between by U. A. Beeran) K. Avukaderkutty NahaGovernment (PKV Ministry) 1978–79C. H. Mohammed Koya K. Avukaderkutty NahaGovernment (Koya Ministry) 1979C. H. Mohammed Koya
With the United Democratic Front (1979/80–present) ElectionSeatsVote %Government/OppositionMinistersWon (Contested)198014 (21)7.18 Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry) 1980–81Government (Karunakaran Ministry) 1981–82C. H. Mohammed Koya 1982 14 (18)6.17 Government (Karunakaran Ministry) 1982–87C. H. Mohammed Koya (succeeded by K. Avukaderkutty Naha) U. A. Beeran E. Ahamed 1987 15 (23)7.73 Opposition
(to Nayanar Ministry)
1987–91199119 (22)7.37 Government
(Karunakaran Ministry)
1991–95P. K. Kunhalikutty E. T. Mohammad Basheer P. K. K .Bava C.T. Ahammed AliGovernment (Antony Ministry)
1995–96 C. T. Ahammed Ali P. K. K. Bava P. K. Kunhalikutty E. T. Mohammad Basheer199613 (23)7.19 Opposition (to Nayanar Ministry)
1996–2001200116 (21)7.59 Government (Antony Ministry)
2001–2004P. K. Kunhalikutty Nalakath Sooppy Cherkalam Abdullah M. K. MuneerGovernment (Chandy Ministry)
2004–2006P. K. Kunhalikutty (replaced by V. K. Ebrahim Kunju) E. T. Mohammad Basheer M. K. Muneer Kutty Ahammed Kutty20067 (21)7.30 Opposition (to Achuthanandan Ministry)
2006–11201120 (23)7.92 Government (Chandy Ministry)
2011–16P. K. Kunhalikutty P. K. Abdu Rabb M. K. Muneer V. K. Ebrahim Kunju Manjalamkuzhi Ali201618 (23)7.40 Opposition (to Vijayan Ministry)
2016–2021202115 (25)8.27 Opposition (to Vijayan Ministry)
2021—2026202622 (27)11.01 Government (Satheesan Ministry) 2026– IncumbentP. K. Kunhalikutty (Industries & IT) P. K. Basheer (Public Works) N. Samsudheen (General Education and Minority Welfare) K. M. Shaji (Local Self Government) V. E. Abdul Gafoor (Fisheries and Social Justice)
Current members
Legislative Constituency MemberKeralaKasaragodManjeshwaramA. K. M. AshrafKasaragodN. A. NellikkunnuKozhikodeKoduvallyM. K. MuneerMalappuramKondottyT. V. IbrahimEranadP. K. BasheerManjeriU. A. LatheefPerinthalmannaNajeeb KanthapuramMankadaManjalamkuzhi AliMalappuramP. UbaidullaVengaraP. K. KunhalikuttyVallikkunnuP. Abdul HameedTirurangadiK. P. A. MajeedTirurKurukkoli MoideenKottakkalK. K. Abid Hussain ThangalPalakkadMannarkkadN. Samsudheen
Electoral performance Kerala +Loksabha election results in Kerala Election Year Alliance Seats contested Seats won Total Votes Percentage of votes ± Vote2024UDF21,199,839 6.07% 0.59%2019UDF21,111,697 5.48% 0.94% 2014UDF2816,226 4.54% 0.54% 2009UDF2813,741 5.07% 0.21% 2004UDF2733,228 4.86% 0.44% 1999UDF2810,135 5.30% 0.29% 1998UDF2745,0705.01% 0.07% 1996UDF2745,070 5.08% 0.06% 1991UDF2715,222 5.02% 0.21% 1989UDF2780,322 5.23% 0.06% 1984UDF2575,754 5.29% 0.27% 1980UDF2454,235 5.60% 0.40% 1977UDF2533,726 6.0% 0.38% 19712366,7025.62% 0.98% 19672413,8686.6% 2.11%19623248,0384.49% 2.84%1957199,7771.65%New