P V Anvar quits Kerala MLA post after joining TMC; announces support to Congress-led UDF in Nilambur bypoll

Thiruvananthapuram: Dissident left-front MLA in Kerala P V Anvar, who joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC), has tendered his resignation as MLA.

Anvar was a two-time left-front backed independent MLA from Malappuram district's Nilambur, which is part of the Wayanad parliament seat represented by Congress top leader Priyanka Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. Anvar's resignation will lead to a by-poll in Nilambur.

TMC, on Friday, announced through social media that Anvar was joining the party and would work as its state coordinator. Hence Anvar decided to quit the MLA post to avoid disqualification.

After submitting his resignation to Kerala assembly speaker A N Shamseer on Monday morning, Anvar said that he would not contest in the by-poll but would support Congress-led UDF's candidate to put an end to 'Pinarayism'. The countdown of the Pinarayi Vijayan government will begin with the by-poll, he warned.

He also requested the Congress to field Malappuram district Congress committee president V S Joy as its candidate.

Anvar said that TMC assured him of support in his fight against the problems faced by the people from wild animals. TMC will announce its political strategy in Kerala soon.

Anvar also said that he had raised the allegations against Pinarayi Vijayan with the support of some senior CPM leaders.

Nilambur assembly constituency was held by Congress for nearly three decades. The Left-front wrested the seat in 2016 after Anvar contested as a left-front-backed independent MLA. He also won in 2021.

Anvar's relationship with CPM leadership worsened a few months back after he raised serious allegations against two IPS officers and the Chief Minister's political secretary P Sasi on various issues like siphoning off gold smuggled through the Kozhikode International Airport. Anvar subsequently quit the left front as Chief Minister and CPM leadership ignored his allegations against the CM's political secretary.

Anvar was recently held by the police for leading a violent protest march to a forest office in Nilambur following the death of one person in a wild elephant attack. Congress leaders had strongly flayed the arrest. Subsequently Anvar openly said that he would work with the Congress-led United Democratic Front to take up man-animal conflict.