Malappuram (Kerala) | Sopana Sangeetham artiste Njeralath Harigovindan joined the IUML here on Friday.

IUML state president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal welcomed him into the party at Panakkad.

Speaking to reporters, the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award winner said he was drawn to the IUML’s ideology that values humanity.

He said that at a time when people are being divided in the name of caste and religion, he, as a responsible artiste, stands against such divisive tendencies.

He added that he would take part in UDF election campaigns across the state during the election period.

Sopana Sangeetham is a form of devotional music traditionally performed near the sanctum sanctorum of temples.

Harigovindan’s father, Njeralathu Ramapothuval, was a noted exponent of the art form.