THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Withstanding tremendous pressure from P V Anvar, the Congress leadership on Monday announced Aryadan Shoukath as the UDF candidate for the June 19 Nilambur assembly bypoll.
Despite Anvar openly campaigning for Malappuram DCC president V S Joy, the KPCC stood firm in its decision to go with Shoukath, son of late Congress veteran Aryadan Mohammed.
A former Nilambur panchayat president, Shoukath is serving as the KPCC general secretary. The cultural face of the Congress, he has also written screenplays for several award winning movies.
Speaking to the media soon after the party announced his candidature, Shoukath expressed confidence that the party would put up a united fight.
“The party has entrusted me with a major responsibility. I am confident the UDF will be able to wrest back the seat this time around,” he said. Nilambur has been traditionally a UDF stronghold, though LDF independent P V Anvar could win it in 2016 and 2021.
Soon after the leadership’s announcement, Joy offered full backing to Shoukath. An irked Anvar, meanwhile, criticised the Congress move, terming it a unilateral decision by the party and not a collective decision by the UDF.
He alleged that Shoukath tried hard to become LDF candidate in Nilambur. The former Left legislator, whose resignation necessitated the by-election, said Joy would have been a far better candidate. He also said he would announce his next course of action in a couple of days.
After the candidate’s announcement, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan expressed confidence that the UDF would win the bypoll.
Responding to questions in Kochi, Satheesan said the UDF has decided to induct Anvar into the front and finer details will be subsequently worked out. The Congress had earlier announced that it would declare the party candidate on Monday, and that it would be a unanimous choice. Though the names of Shoukath and Joy came up, the leadership chose to stand with Shoukath. His name was then formally submitted to the AICC.
Earlier in the day, there were uncertainties over the candidate, after Anvar supported Joy, while opposing Shoukath’s candidature. The decision to field Shoukath was taken at a crucial meeting of Congress leaders, chaired by KPCC president Sunny Joseph in Kochi.
“As per our assessment, there won’t be any Anvar effect in this poll. Whether he supports the UDF or not, he would be unable to play spoilsport,” said a senior leader.
