Nilambur bypoll: Anvar pressurises UDF over candidate selection

Malappuram (Kerala), May 26 (PTI) As the crucial Nilambur bypoll is just weeks away, trouble is brewing for Congress-led UDF with former MLA of the constituency and now Trinamool leader P V Anvar exerting pressure regarding its candidate selection.

The ex-legislator had said on Sunday that he would support any "devil" being field by the UDF to defeat Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and "Pinarayism".

Anvar, however, told reporters here on Monday that that "devil" should have some virtue and would be acceptable to the people of Nilambur and the one who can see the society as equal, cutting across caste and community differences.

His statements assumed significance as they came amidst media reports that Congress leader Aryadan Shoukath would be the UDF nominee in the upcoming bypoll.

Anvar's move is seen as a bid by the Trinamool Congress to secure a place in the Congress-led UDF.

A bypoll has been necessitated in Nilambur assembly constituency after Anvar, the then LDF independent, resigned following differences with CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

Despite offering support to the UDF for its political programmes against the Left government, the alliance has not extended an invitation to Anvar or his party to join its fold.

When reporters asked whether he would work for the UDF if Shoukath is the candidate, Anvar said his resignation was not to make someone MLA but to defeat Vijayan and to convince the people that propaganda of his third term as a CM was a "false narrative".

The UDF should realise the political, religious and community equations in the constituency before finalising their candidate, he said.

"The UDF should evaluate such aspects and should take a decision after calculating and studying such aspects," he said.

When asked about his backing for District Congress Committee president V S Joy as a candidate, he said he has no personal liking towards Joy or any dislike for Shoukath.

"Joy represents the high-range settlers of the district and the person who knows very well and directly experiences the issues of the high ranges of Nilambur," he said.

If Joy gets a chance to contest and win the bypoll, the long-drawn complaint of the (Christian) community that they don't have an MLA in the state assembly from within the Wayanad parliament constituency will be resolved, Anvar explained.

He also accused the BJP of trying to support the CPI(M) in the upcoming bypoll by not fielding any candidate.

The Marxist party is yet to decide their candidate, as they are waiting to "misuse" the community and religious equations in Nilambur, Anvar added.

Nilambur bypoll would be held on June 19.

As per the Election Commission notification, the last date for filing of nominations for the by-poll is June 2. The results are to be announced on June 23. PTI LGK ADB