This Kerala election fight has now taken pretty ugly turn,and honestly,whole 'Kafir screenshot' issue feels like more than normal political mudslinging . When communal angle enters campaign,no side comes out looking clean.
A.A . Rahim,national president of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI),has now gone to police over smear campaign targeting K.K. Shailaja,the CPI(M) candidate for 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Vadakara . On June 22, 2026,Rahim filed complaint asking police to investigate where this campaign started and who pushed it.
And main allegation is serious ah . Rahim says campaign was meant to damage Shailaja's candidacy by using communal tensions,not just normal criticism or election attack .
Last week,Kozhikode police arrested Jithin Bhaskar,a DYFI leader linked with local WhatsApp group called Vadakara Squad . He is accused of helping create divisive campaign to consolidate Hindu votes against Shailaja by building narrative around religious identities of candidates.
Few things standing out in this case:
- A.A. Rahim has filed police complaint over controversial 'Kafir screenshot'.
- Jithin Bhaskar,linked to Vadakara Squad,was arrested by Kozhikode police last week .
- K.K. Shailaja's 2024 Lok Sabha elections campaign in Vadakara is now caught in communal controversy.
But this has also created problem for Rahim and CPI(M) side . Pro-Congress and United Democratic Front (UDF) supporters are now accusing Rahim himself of using underhanded tactics and helping create communal tension in Vadakara.
In Facebook post,Rahim said he will fight smear campaign politically and legally,and more complaints or legal notices may come . At same time,CPI(M) is looking defensive because several party leaders,including former legislator K.K. Lathika,had earlier shared same controversial screenshot .
And tbh,this is where whole matter becomes messy . One side says smear campaign was used to attack Shailaja,other side says CPI(M) leaders also amplified it . So question becomes not just who created screenshot,but who benefited from spreading it .
There is also past history of similar communal campaigns in Kerala politics,with earlier investigation into divisive campaign ending inconclusive . Now,as UDF government reopens investigations into past incidents,current atmosphere is full of accusations and counter-accusations.
Election politics already gets heated,but when religion-based messaging enters WhatsApp groups and party workers start sharing screenshots,damage spreads very fast . Who actually started this,and who only used it later… that part is still hanging in air…
