The last time a Kerala Assembly Election and a FIFA World Cup happened in the same year was in 2006. Twenty years on, the state will exercise its franchise on April 9 to elect a new government and leave the festoons hanging from street corners for its football frenzy in connection with the most popular global sporting event, starting June 11.

Whether the serendipitous reunion will affect the poll results on May 4 is unclear, but the ruling CPM has set the ball rolling by fielding a celebrity footballer. CPM state secretary M V Govindan on Sunday announced former captain of the Indian men’s football team, U Sharaf Ali, as a party-backed independent candidate for the Nilambur constituency in the Malappuram district, which is undoubtedly the heartland of the beautiful game in the state.

“The Assembly Election will be over before the World Cup fever catches on. So I can't say for sure if the World Cup will have an impact," Sharaf Ali told Onmanorama. "But the most important point is that this is the first time either of the two political fronts in Kerala has considered a sportsperson for an Assembly seat, and to be chosen by the CPM as a Left candidate is an honour," he said.

Sharaf Ali is likely to face a stiff challenge from the incumbent Aryadan Shoukath of the Congress. Shoukath defeated CPM's M Swaraj in last year’s by-election necessitated by P V Anvar's resignation from the MLA position.

"The party has fielded me in a constituency with a strong winning chance. Nilambur has a history of supporting independent candidates. I believe I can secure votes from within the front and beyond," Sharaf Ali said.

Not a first in Kerala
The BJP was the first party to try to capitalise on the fame of a global sporting star by fielding former India cricketer S Sreesanth in the 2016 Assembly Elections. The two-time World Cup-winning pacer contested under the BJP banner from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency but finished third. Coincidentally, a T20 World Cup was held just two months before Kerala went to the polls.

The BJP made a serious attempt to outscore the CPM in the upcoming polls by trying to convince legendary footballer I M Vijayan to contest. Vijayan told media persons on the weekend that someone from Delhi reached out to him at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Minister Suresh Gopi also tried to entice him to take a ticket.

“But I humbly declined,” Vijayan said. “I need everyone’s love. I don't have a commitment to a particular party because I'm a national figure,” said the former superstar striker.

In the past, both the LDF and the UDF tried to get Vijayan to contest, but he was never swayed. However, his former teammate, Sharaf Ali, has embraced the opportunity. Until recently, he was the President of the Kerala State Sports Council, a semi-political role, which he carried out since retiring from the Kerala Police in 2020.

Defender who likes to attack
Sharaf Ali hails from Therattammal in the neighbouring Areekode region, but calls Nilambur his backyard. "Three of my maternal uncles are settled in Nilambur, so I spent most of my childhood here," Sharaf Ali said about his local link.

If his familial connections were not sufficient, Sharaf Ali throws open his more relatable CV. "As a footballer, I have played numerous tournaments here in Nilambur, Edakkara and Chungathara regions," Sharaf Ali said. Those who followed Kerala football in the 1990s might strike a chord, because in the heyday, Sharaf Ali was one of the finest defenders in the country.

He represented India for a decade, captaining the Blue Tigers in a tournament in 1993. The same year, he won the Santosh Trophy with Kerala. He was a teammate of Vijayan at Mohun Bagan in Kolkata.

Recently, Sharaf Ali was asked whether his experience as a ‘defender’ would come in handy in his political debut. “When I was a defender, I played as a wingback, so I can also attack.” A wingback or a full-back is a position that often overlaps with attacking players to create goalscoring opportunities. The CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) would hope Sharaf Ali can dribble into the hearts of the Nilambur electorate and win them the traditionally UDF-siding seat