Miffed P.V. Anvar reveals reason for not joining UDF; not to contest Nilambur bypolls too

Former Nilambur MLA P.V. Anvar has announced that he no longer wants to join the United Democratic Front (UDF), and added that he will not contest in the upcoming assembly bypolls in Nilambur.

 

Interestingly, Anvar revealed the demands he had put forward in front of the UDF leadership for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to join the UDF.

 

He said that he had held multiple rounds of discussions with the UDF leadership, during which he demanded that the TMC be formally recognised as a constituent or associate member of the coalition. “I gave up my sitting seat in Nilambur to the Congress. So, I asked for another sitting seat to continue raising people’s issues in the assembly. Without a secure seat, they could sideline me easily,” Anvar said.

 

He claimed he had offered to bolster the UDF’s prospects by fielding suitable candidates, including independents, in several constituencies where the Congress was struggling. He specifically proposed contesting from Malampuzha or another sitting Congress seat but alleged that the UDF leadership rejected his suggestions. “They said I could contest from any of the 140 seats, but when I named a seat, they refused,” he said.

 

The former MLA disclosed that the UDF offered him the Beypore constituency after initially suggesting Malampuzha. However, Anvar noted that a senior Congress leader opposed his candidacy, though he clarified it was not the broader UDF leadership. He also emphasised that he did not expect a seat from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), as he had relinquished Nilambur to the Congress. “The Congress should provide me a seat; even the IUML leadership agreed this was fair,” Anvar added.

 

He confirmed that he would not contest the Nilambur bypoll. “I don’t have the money to contest,” he said candidly, while adding that all his financial resources have shrunk.

 

Interestingly, Anvar had warned that he would contest if a favourable decision did not come from the UDF. He had also claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC ministers would campaign for him in the Nilambur bypoll.

 

About Anvar’s new declaration, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said that there is still time to make a decision in his case.

 

Meanwhile, former KPCC president and senior Congress leader K. Sudhakaran expressed his intent to personally persuade Anvar to join the UDF.

India