BJP's litmus test, Congress' comeback mission, CPM's football star: Kerala's Nilambur bypoll to witness three-way contest

BJP could be using the by-poll to test the impact of the communal campaigns over the Waqf row as the constituency has over 50 percent Muslim population.

Thiruvananthapuram: Nilambur assembly constituency in Malappuram district in Kerala is gearing up for a prestigious electoral battle with the Congress on a mission to win back its long term seat, while the CPM is considering ex-footballer to retain his seat in the football crazy region.

BJP could be using this by-poll to test the impact of communal campaigns over Waqf row as the constituency has over 50 per cent Muslim population.

By-poll is imminent at Nilambur in the wake of resignation of CPM-back independent MLA P V Anvar for joining the TMC. Even before the Election Commission announced the by-polls, Congress and CPM are way ahead in candidate selection and getting ready for the by-poll that could be a trend setter for the 2026 Assembly polls.

Nilambur had been Congress's sitting seat from 1987 to 2016 with Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed winning six elections in a row. After Mohammed kept off from the electoral fray in 2016 owing to ill health, Left Democratic Front wrested the seat through CPM-backed independent MLA P V Anvar by defeating Mohammed's son Aryadan Shoukath.

In 2021 too Anvar won by defeating Congress leader V V Prakash, who died soon after the polling due to cardiac arrest. But Anvar's victory margin fell down to 2,700 from 11,504 in 2016.

This time Aryadan Shoukath and Congress district president V S Joy are the key contenders for the seat. A meeting chaired by AICC general secretary K C Venugopal the other day is learnt to have favoured Shoukath.

AICC is very keen on the Nilamabur polls as it is part of the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat represented by party top leader Priyanka Gandhi.

Meanwhile, in the search for a suitable replacement for P V Anvar the CPM was learnt to be considering former Indian footballer U Sharafali, especially since Malappuram district is known for its football craze that even grabbed the attention of FIFA.

Moreover, the CPM government's ongoing efforts to host a friendly match of Argentinian team comprising Lionel Messi could also influence the voters of Malappuram.

Though the BJP is an insignificant player in Nilambur with less than five percent vote share in the 2021 election, the saffron party could use the Nilambur by-poll to test the impact of communal campaigns over Waqf amendment. Nilambur has over eight percent Christian population and over 40 percent Hindu population as per 2011 census.

A recent communally toned statement of SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan targeting the Muslim dominance of the region could be also used by the BJP camps for electoral gains.