Kerala Polls: 5 Things To Know About Muslim League's First Woman Candidate In 25 Years

Indian Union Muslim League fields Noorbina Rashid in Kerala elections: Kerala's Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) announced the candidacy of  Noorbina Rashid on Friday for the Kozhikode South Assembly constituency. The party unveiled its list of 25 candidates out of 27 seats it will be contesting in Kerala and it is for the first time since 1996 that a woman candidate has been fielded by the Muslim League.

Here are five things to know about Noorbina Rashid:

1. Prior to Noorbina Rashid, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had fielded a woman candidate in 1996 when the former chairperson of the Women's League Khamarunnisa Anwar had contested from Kozhikode.

IUML's PK Kunhalikutty to contest in Kerala polls from Vengara while Kerala deputy opposition leader MK Muneer will contest from Koduvally. Noorbina Rashid will contest in Kozhikode South. Dinesh Perumanna will be UDF independent candidate

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2021

2. Rashid was a founder leader of the Indian Union Women’s League (IUWL), which was formed in 1993.  She was its first general secretary. “We, woman Muslim League leaders, were hopeful that the party would definitely consider woman candidates this time. I’m grateful to the party leadership for giving me the opportunity,” she said.

3. Noorbina Rashid is a lawyer and a former councilor of the Kozhikode Corporation. She was also a member of the Kerala State Women’s Commission from 2012 to 2017.

4.  "To address issues of women and those marginalised people we need women in the assembly. The expectation of people both men and women are that more women should come forward in society and I happy with the decision of IUML leadership," Rashid told ANI about her nomination.

5. Hailing from Thalassery, Rashid previously served on the State Social Welfare Board and Literacy Mission. She has been a member of the Kozhikode Bar for 30 years.

Feature Image Credit: ANI