KASARGOD: A recent report claimed that the Muslim League has decided to replace Manjeswaram sitting MLA MC Kamaruddin with Youth League state leader KM Ashraf in the forthcoming assembly elections. According to sources, Kamaruddin suffered a setback due to the Fashion Gold jewelry scam case. The main reason for considering Ashraf, a former block panchayat president, is that he is a youth leader from Manjeswaram.

During the 2019 by-election, the party had initially planned to field Ashraf as its candidate in Manjeshwaram. However, Ashraf backed off when the party's state leaders stood firm in their decision to field League district president Kamaruddin as the candidate.