Is the Drama Surrounding Nilambur Bypoll and Anvar's Candidacy Coming to a Close?

Nilambur (Kerala), June 3 (NationPress) The saga surrounding two-time Left-backed Independent legislator P.V. Anvar continues as officials rejected one of his nominations for the by-election in Kerala's Nilambur while he was attempting to enter the race as a candidate for the Trinamool Congress during the scrutiny process on Tuesday.

However, his nomination as an Independent candidate was accepted, allowing him to participate in the June 19 by-election.

The intrigue began with Anvar's unexpected resignation in January after significant disagreements with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whom he had previously likened to a father figure.

After stepping down, Anvar declared he would not run in the by-election and pledged his support to the Congress, even if they nominated a less-than-ideal candidate, solely to end Vijayan's influence.

Yet, the situation took a turn when he voiced his frustration over the Congress selecting Aryadan Shoukath, the candidate he had previously defeated in the 2016 elections.

This prompted a series of discussions with senior Congress leaders and the Indian Union Muslim League, a key part of the Congress-led UDF.

Just when it seemed Anvar had settled down, he made a surprising announcement that he would run as a Trinamool candidate, criticizing Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan in the process.

A late-night attempt by Congress's new legislator, Rahul Mankootathil, to negotiate also failed, and shortly after, Anvar filed his nomination.

On Tuesday morning, Anvar appeared at the scrutiny center and told the media that this was his sixth election contest. Although he had never attended scrutiny previously, he chose to do so this time due to suspicions of foul play.

It was later revealed that his nomination as a Trinamool candidate was rejected on technical grounds, lacking the requisite number of signatures from the constituency.

Despite this setback, Anvar remains optimistic that the rejected nomination will eventually be validated, as his close associates were present at the scrutiny center.

With Anvar's participation, the contest has transformed into a multi-cornered race.

The CPI-M is competing for the first time since 2006, having previously supported independent candidates, while Anvar secured victories in both the 2016 and 2021 elections.

The ruling party has nominated former legislator M. Swaraj, while the BJP has introduced a fresh face, Mohan George, who joined the party just after his nomination was announced on Sunday.

As Anvar continues to campaign, he expresses confidence that those who know him will support him at the polls.