Anvar’s return fires opening salvo in high-stakes Kerala political contest

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 23 The return of P.V. Anvar to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has set the stage for a sharp and potentially bruising political battle as Kerala moves closer to the next Assembly elections.

A two-time legislator who once enjoyed the backing of the Left, Anvar’s political career has been defined by abrupt turns and tactical recalibrations. His latest move, however, appears deliberate and consequential, aimed squarely at unsettling the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.

Anvar has made little effort to disguise his intent. Declaring that his sole objective is to unseat the LDF, he has publicly expressed his willingness to contest from any constituency assigned by the UDF leadership. This marks a notable departure from his stance earlier this year, when he resigned as the Nilambur MLA following a bitter and abrupt fallout with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

At the time, Anvar pledged unconditional support to the UDF and announced he would stay away from electoral politics. That position, however, proved short-lived. In a swift reversal, he later turned against the UDF and entered the fray as an Independent -- an experiment that ended in political embarrassment. The Congress candidate won decisively, while Anvar finished a distant third.

The setback briefly pushed Anvar into political isolation. Quiet negotiations followed, and after several rounds of talks, the UDF on Monday formally admitted Anvar’s Trinamool Congress (Kerala unit) as an associate member.

The political reverberations were immediate. Hoardings welcoming Anvar as a prospective candidate appeared in and around the Beypore Assembly constituency in Kozhikode. The symbolism was unmistakable.

Beypore is represented by Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, Chief Minister Vijayan’s son-in-law and one of the CPI(M)’s most prominent young leaders. A traditional Left stronghold, Beypore has not elected a Congress MLA since 1977.

In recent elections, the CPI(M) has only strengthened its grip, with Riyas winning his maiden contest by a margin exceeding 28,000 votes -- the highest in the constituency’s recent history.

Yet, Anvar’s open declaration of political war against Vijayan and Riyas has altered the tone of the contest.

Whether Anvar ultimately proves to be an asset or a liability for the UDF remains an open question. What is clear is that his return has injected an element of volatility into an otherwise predictable political landscape -- and signalled that the battle lines are being drawn far earlier than anticipated.

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