The New Indian Express News

Kerala CPM leader sparks controversy with sexist remarks against Muslim League's women candidates

Sayed Ali Majeed, a member of Kerala's ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), who won in the Thennela Panchayat in Malappuram, has sparked controversy with sexist remarks in his victory speech. Majeed, who won the election with a margin of 47 votes, targeted the Muslim League for fielding women candidates. He said that women brought through marriage are not for displaying before strangers for votes, to capture a ward or to defeat him. He added that married women are for sleeping with their husbands and making kids. He said, That is why families traditionally verify lineage and background while arranging marriages... He further said that he is not scared of any legal actions against his remarks. 'Dont parade women for votes'; CPM leader in Kerala faces backlash over remarks on women after local body poll victory pic.twitter.com/ql0gTA74jv Athique Haneef (@Derwish27683791) December 15, 2025 Majeed reportedly resigned as CPM local secretary to contestin the local body election as an independent, Times of India reported. He won the ward, securing 666 votes, 47 more than his opponent from the IUML. The election results , which were announced on Saturday, witnessed the ruling LDF suffer a surprise and potentially debilitating setback. The ruling Left suffered a humiliating setback, as it lost four sitting municipal corporations, four district panchayats, more than 100 grama panchayats, half of the block panchayats and around 20 municipalities. The Congress-led UDF recorded a decisive victory in the local body elections, winning four out of six municipal corporations, seven district panchayats, 54 municipalities, 79 block panchayats and around 505 grama panchayats. Compounding the CPM's woes, the BJP-led NDA quite emphatically snatched the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram city corporation from its hands, in a victory that has the potential to fuel BJP's growth in Kerala in the coming years.