Former Indian footballer U Sharaf Ali likely to contest Kerala Assembly polls

U Sharaf Ali, former national level football player from Kerala, is likely to contest in the upcoming state elections. Sharaf Ali says that he was approached by the LDF to contest as an Independent candidate from his hometown of Ernad in Malappuram. 

The 56-year-old had joined the Kerala Police and was serving in the Rapid Response and Rescue Force (RRRF). Upon retiring from the force in May 2020, he decided to contest in the elections.

“I don’t look at it as politics. It is more of a social service. After retiring from the force, I was working on starting a football academy in Ernad by roping in football stars and those connected to the sport. I was continuing with these activities when I was approached to contest in the elections,” Sharaf told a local media channel. 

The former Indian football team defender was approached by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala to contest as an Independent candidate backed by the party. The LDF usually reserves the Ernad seat for CPI candidates. However, the candidates contest as Independents from the constituency. According to reports, the party approached Sharaf Ali, who enjoys massive popularity as a football player, to wrest the seat from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). 

“My father was a Muslim League worker, my brothers are active Congress workers. When I was a student, I worked in the youth wing of the Congress. But I guess I was always a left leaning Congress worker,” says Sharaf Ali, adding that he enjoyed a good relationship with both the UDF and LDF leaders in the state. 

Sharaf made his India debut against Republic of Korea at the Nehru Cup in Thiruvananthapuram on January 20, 1986.

Along with I M Vijayan, V P Sathyan and C V Pappachan, who were his teammates in the Kerala Police team, Sharaf Ali helped strengthen the team in the 1990s, leading to Kerala winning the Santosh Trophy in 1992 and 1993. 

According to reports, the UDF in Kerala is likely to field another famous footballer I M Vijayan in the upcoming polls. However, there has been no confirmation regarding this.