THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The UDF has approached estranged LDF MLA P V Anvar, urging him to withdraw his candidates to the Palakkad and Chelakkara assembly by-elections. It has dawned on the front’s leadership that minority votes will be key to its chances in both seats, and Anvar’s candidates can spoil the plans by capturing a good chunk of this crucial vote base.
It’s learnt that as quid pro quo, Anvar has placed the demand, with Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan for the Nilambur assembly seat in 2026, which the UDF will find difficult to part as a favour to KPCC general secretary Aryadan Shoukath, son of Aryadan Muhammed who represented the constituency a record eight times.
When Anvar threw his weight around, taking on the CPM and the LDF government, the UDF remained a silent observer. Now, it has realised that Palakkad has become a do-or-die battle for Satheesan and Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil. The decision to extend an olive branch to Anvar is an extension of this realisation.
Speaking to TNIE, Anvar confirmed that top UDF leaders held talks with him where he was urged to withdraw his Democratic Movement of Kerala candidates, N K Sudheer (Chelakkara) and Minhaj Medar (Palakkad).
“It’s obvious that the UDF has realised the threat posed by my candidates. I asked the front’s leaders to withdraw Ramya Haridas from Chelakkara for me to withdraw Minhaj from Palakkad. Nilambur, which is not going to the polls now, is not on my wishlist. My focus now is on Palakkad and Chelakkara by-elections where I’m open to further talks,” Anvar said. The UDF camp believes during the 2021 assembly election, Shafi won Palakkad by a narrow margin of 3,859 votes, with the support of minority voters.
At the same time, the Congress state leadership is unperturbed about dissident activity in Palakkad which has seen A K Shanib, former Jawahar Bal Manch state coordinator, being expelled from the party. Palakkad DCC general secretary T Y Shihabudheen and Palakkad Kappur panchayat member P G Vimal have also made their voices heard against the candidature of Rahul Mamkoottathil.
Shanib, a former state general secretary of the Youth Congress, told TNIE that if former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was alive, he would not have fielded an outsider like Rahul in Palakkad.
“It’s Satheesan and Shafi who’re now calling the shots in the party, at the cost of KPCC chief Sudhakaran. Chandy and then opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala shared an excellent rapport where they prioritised the party’s interest over personal gains. The AICC survey was also against Rahul. I understand that Shafi put his foot down citing that he would not cooperate with the campaign in Palakkad if his candidate (Rahul) is not fielded,” said Shanib.
Now, the grapevine is that it’s not Rahul who is contesting from Palakkad, but Shafi, as the onus has fallen on him to ensure a victory for his trusted lieutenant by hook or crook.
K Surendran claims Left is irrelevant, slams Cong
Kozhikode: BJP state president K Surendran has levelled strong allegations against UDF and LDF, claiming the two fronts have had an mutual understanding during elections to undermine BJP’s chances. He said the upcoming by-elections would break this alliance, and such collaboration between UDF and LDF would not succeed this time. In Wayanad, Surendran declared that the Left is “irrelevant”, portraying the contest as a direct face-off between the NDA and UDF.