The stand taken by Kerala opposition leader VD Satheesan, asserting that the controversial land at Munambam in Kochi is not Waqf property, has sparked divisions within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).

Satheesan’s remarks have not been well-received by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key coalition partner of the UDF.

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IUML state secretary KM Shaji recently dismissed Satheesan’s claim, stating that it reflects his personal opinion and does not align with IUML’s stance.

“Munambam is a significant issue, not a minor one as some think. There is potential for a major controversy. The Leader of Opposition’s statement that it is not Waqf land is purely his personal view, which IUML does not share,” Shaji said at a public meeting in Koomanna, Malappuram, on Saturday.

This comes at a time when prominent Muslim organizations have begun to strongly assert that the Munambam land is indeed Waqf property. Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama Mushawara member Umar Faizi Mukkam was among the first to publicly oppose Satheesan’s statement.

On Sunday, IUML Parliamentary Party Leader and National Organizing Secretary E.T. Muhammad Basheer echoed Shaji’s stance, affirming Waqf claims over the Munambam properties.

“Some claim that the Munambam properties are not Waqf land. I am addressing this for the first time: this is indeed Waqf land. There are documents to prove it. At no point has the Muslim League stated otherwise. Our position remains clear: the government should intervene to resolve this matter,” Basheer said.

IUML leader MK Muneer also backed Shaji, pointing out that the Muslim Coordination Committee, which convened two months ago in Kozhikode under the leadership of Panakkad Sadiq Ali Thangal, had never suggested that the Munambam land was not Waqf property.

While IUML leaders had earlier sought to resolve the matter without taking a public stance, the open endorsements by KM Shaji, ET Muhammad Basheer, and MK Muneer have now placed the party in a challenging position. Senior IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty, who acted as a mediator in the controversy, finds himself in an awkward spot.

Previously, IUML state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and PK Kunhalikutty had tread carefully, refraining from outrightly rejecting Satheesan’s statement.

On Sunday, Kunhalikutty reiterated that the final word on the matter was what Panakkad Sadiq Ali Thangal had stated, emphasizing that the party’s focus has been on preventing communal divisions instigated by the BJP and CPI(M).

Meanwhile, VD Satheesan maintained that the UDF had taken a collective decision on the issue after consulting all coalition partners. He warned IUML leaders against falling into what he described as a “trap set by the Sangh Parivar” to communalize the Munambam land row.

On Monday, Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and PK Kunhalikutty reiterated that the Muslim League’s stance on the matter was clear: Munambam is Waqf land, and the party opposes the eviction of residents from the area.

The controversy continues to deepen, raising questions about the unity within the UDF as it grapples with a sensitive issue that could have wider political implications.