MALAPPURAM: Mounting pressure on the UDF for a berth in the front, P V Anvar has hinted at contesting the Nilambur byelection.
The executive committee meeting of the Trinamool Congress state unit held in Manjeri on Thursday reportedly gave Anvar the green signal to enter the fray. However, an official announcement will be made after the state committee meeting on Friday. The party executive committee has entrusted Anvar to make a final decision on whether to contest or not.
The Congress leadership has made it amply clear that Anvar can be accommodated in the UDF only if he is ready to withdraw the remarks against the front’s candidate Aryadan Shoukath. Congress leaders openly expressed this including state president Sunny Joseph.
Meanwhile, TMC leader Saji Manjakkadamban told reporters that Congress leaders, including the KPCC president, have contacted them and assured a berth in the UDF. “The moment such a declaration comes, we will work for UDF candidate’s victory,” he said.
Though some leaders in the party, including K Muraleedharan and Ramesh Chennithala, showed a soft corner towards the Trinamool leader, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan took a strong stand.
Anvar says Satheesan has ulterior motives
The feeling that Anvar crossed the borders of political decency was strong in the Congress, which was attested by senior leaders like V M Sudheeran.
The TMC’s decision came hours after IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said the decision on Anvar’s entry into the front would be taken by Friday evening. TMC leaders made it clear that they waited for a long time for a positive response from the UDF, and they are now moving ahead with their plan.
If Anvar contests, it would be his third election from Nilambur. In the last two elections, he contested as an LDF independent. He resigned from the post last January after raising serious accusations against ADGP K Ajithkumar, CM’s political secretary P Sasi, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself. Anvar had repeatedly declared that his prime aim was to end ‘Pinarayism’ in Kerala.
Earlier in the day, Anvar lashed out at Satheesan saying the Leader of Opposition has ulterior motives. Anvar said it was Satheesan who blocked his meeting with AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.
“Satheesan had threatened to resign from the post of UDF chairman if Venugopal decides to meet me. It is doubtful whether his fight is against Pinarayi or against Anvar. He thinks that I will become either a T P Chandrasekharan or an Abdul Nazar Madai,” said Anvar.
If Anvar sticks to the decision to contest, the byelection would turn into an interesting contest. It is also likely to influence CPM’s selection of candidate.