LDF's candidate M Swaraj (L), UDF's Aryadan Shoukath (C) and TMC's P V Anvar.
Credit: Facebook-Swaraj/V D Satheesan, PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: The Nilambur bypoll in Malappuram district of Kerala is turning murkier with BJP deciding to field a dissident leader from the regional party Kerala Congress (Joseph) and TMC Kerala leader and former MLA P V Anvar also announcing decision to contest as the Congress-led United Democratic Front shut the doors for his entry to UDF.
The hilly district is already set for a tough political contest with Congress veteran leader Aryadan Mohammed's son Aryadan Shoukath and CPI(M) state secretariat member M Swaraj in the fray. Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), which is linked with banned outfit Popular Front of India, also decided to contest in Nilamabur, which has a high number of Muslim voters.
The BJP is fielding Mohan George, who was a local leader of the Kerala Congress (Joseph) party, which is a coalition partner of the Congress-led UDF. The BJP hopes to take advantage of the unrest among the high-range farmers, who are mostly from the Christian community, over issues like man-animal conflict.
Anvar, who won as Left-front backed MLA of Nilambur in 2016 and 2021, had been making all-out efforts to join the UDF. He severed ties with the Left-front and joined the TMC by quitting the MLA post in January, which resulted in the bypoll on June 19. The UDF shut the doors for Anvar's UDF entry as he openly criticised the candidacy of Anvar and refused to withdraw it. Traditional friction between the families of Anvar and Shoukath is considered to be the reason why Anvar opposed Shoukath's candidacy.
Anvar on Sunday announced his decision to contest in the bypoll. He said that his fight will be to put an end to Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala and hence he tried to join hands with the UDF. He also strongly criticised opposition leader V D Satheesan for preventing his entry to the UDF.
Meanwhile, Anvar camps leaked video footage of Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil visiting Anvar on Saturday night as part of efforts to pacify him. This triggered criticism that V D Satheesan deputed his loyalist Mamkootathil to woo Anvar to the UDF camps. But Satheesan strongly criticized Mamkootathil for meeting Anvar. Mamkootathil also admitted that it was a mistake on his part.