Amid the competing optics of development narrative and welfare politics, the BJP factor is likely to play a significant role in shaping how Muslims vote in the April 9 Kerala Assembly elections.

One-fourth of Kerala’s electorate is from the minority community that plays a crucial role in deciding the outcome in the north Kerala districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod. While the community is the core base of Congress ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the CPI(M) has also managed to make considerable gains in the last two Assembly polls in the region, which has 48 out of the total 140 Assembly constituencies.