MALAPPURAM: Ending prolonged uncertainty, the CPM has announced its candidates for the Tanur and Vallikunnu constituencies.
Sameer Haji, also known as Muhammed Sameer, a charity worker and close associate of Kanthapuram Abubacker Musliyar, will contest as the LDF’s independent candidate in Tanur. In Vallikunnu, INL-backed C P Mustafa has been fielded as the LDF candidate.
The delay in finalising candidates followed a major political setback to the CPM after Sports Minister V Abdurahiman vacated Tanur, a sitting LDF seat, and shifted to Tirur. The party’s attempt to poach a candidate from the UDF camp also failed, forcing it to fall back on Sameer, who had earlier figured in the shortlist. Soon after his candidature was announced, Sameer visited Abubacker Musliyar’s residence to seek his blessings.
Sameer, an expatriate businessman from Pulparamba in Ozhur panchayat, enters the fray in a constituency held by Abdurahiman for two consecutive terms after wresting it from the IUML. This time, Abdurahiman refused to defend the seat and instead pushed for a shift to Tirur.
In Vallikunnu, Mustafa, a lawyer from Munniyur, has been fielded with INL backing as the Left attempts to consolidate its minority outreach.
Meanwhile, political confusion deepens in Mankada, where League rebel Kunnath Muhammed has filed his nomination. The CPM has initiated moves to back Muhammed, effectively sidelining its own declared candidate M P Alavi. Alavi, a CPM Mankada area committee member and KSKTU state committee member, was announced as the LDF candidate last Sunday, but has remained largely inactive in the campaign.
The CPM had earlier explored fielding an independent in Mankada before settling on Alavi. However, the latest developments point to a tactical retreat, with the party now weighing support for a rebel candidate to stay electorally relevant. As a precautionary measure, Alavi has also filed his nomination papers.