Anvar rules out joining Satheesan-led UDF, opts out of Nilambur bypoll

Malappuram, May 31 (IANS) Two-time Nilambur MLA P.V. Anvar, who resigned from the Assembly in January following a fallout with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Saturday announced that he will not join the V.D. Satheesan-led UDF and will stay away from the upcoming bypoll.

The Nilambur Assembly constituency is set to go to the polls on June 19 to elect a new representative.

Anvar, who was elected in 2016 and 2021 as a Left-backed Independent candidate, had been hoping to join the Congress-led UDF through his party, the All India Trinamool Congress.

However, with no clear response from the front, he has now declared his disinterest in contesting the election.

"I resigned only to take on Vijayan politically. I expected that my party would be accommodated in the UDF as an associate member. But despite repeated efforts, they haven’t made a decision. I want to make my position clear -- I will stay away from the election and do not seek any space in the Satheesan-led UDF," Anvar told reporters here.

Citing financial constraints, he added, "I am completely broke. Though I wanted to contest, I simply don’t have the funds. I will remain in and around Nilambur, but I will not contest."

With Anvar opting out, the political spotlight is now firmly on the face-off between Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath and CPI(M) state secretariat member and former MLA M. Swaraj.

Nilambur has traditionally been a Congress stronghold, with Shoukath’s father, Aryadan Mohammed, winning the seat eight times since 1965 and losing only thrice. The last time the CPI(M) fielded its own candidate in Nilambur was in 2006, when youth leader P. Sreeramakrishnan was defeated by Mohammed with a margin of over 18,000 votes.

As Anvar announced his decision, Swaraj arrived at the local railway station to a rousing welcome from CPI(M) workers. Like Shoukath, Swaraj also hails from Malappuram district.

Shoukath is expected to file his nomination soon, after seeking blessings from A.K. Antony, a close associate of his father.

Determined to reclaim Nilambur after back-to-back defeats to Anvar, the Congress is banking on a high-octane campaign led by Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, who secured a lead of over 65,000 votes from Nilambur in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Meanwhile, UDF convenor Adoor Prakash and State Congress president Sunny Joseph maintained that talks with Anvar are still on.

"Just wait -- our discussions will continue," said Prakash.

--IANS

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