Will Aryadan Shoukath be sworn in as Nilambur MLA on Friday?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Aryadan Shoukath will officially become the MLA of Nilambur.
- His win contributes to the Congress-led UDF's strength in the Kerala Assembly.
- Shoukath returns to a legacy of political success established by his father.
- The political dynamics in Kerala may shift following this election.
- Anvar's departure from the Left camp was a significant factor in the election outcome.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 26 (NationPress) Following an impressive victory in the Nilambur Assembly elections, Aryadan Shoukath is set to take his oath as a legislator on Friday at the Kerala Legislative Complex, officiated by Speaker A.N. Shamsheer.
Shoukath's triumph has elevated the Congress-led UDF to a total of 42 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly.
He secured his win against former CPI(M) legislator M. Swaraj with a substantial margin exceeding 11,000 votes, as per the vote count conducted on Monday.
This victory marks Shoukath's return to the prestigious Assembly, where his late father, Aryadan Mohammed, achieved a remarkable record of winning eight times from the same constituency.
Shoukath first entered the political arena during the 2016 Assembly elections when his father retired. However, he faced defeat against Independent candidate P.V. Anvar, who was backed by the Left.
Anvar continued his winning streak in the 2021 elections, but he stepped down from his legislative role in January this year due to significant disagreements with Chief Minister Pinarayi.
Initially expressing support for the Congress party, Anvar later criticized the decision to nominate Shoukath, announcing his own candidacy, which left both the Congress and Left parties in a state of confusion.
Remarkably, Anvar garnered over 19,000 votes in the by-elections.
During a meeting of the CPI(M) state secretariat convened to analyze their bypoll loss, leaders acknowledged that Anvar's departure was a significant factor in their defeat.
Veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala stated that Shoukath's victory signifies the beginning of the end for the Vijayan regime that has been in power since 2016.
“This win is a testament to the hard work of the entire Congress-led UDF leadership and its volunteers in Nilambur,” Chennithala remarked, adding that he had attempted to bring Anvar into the UDF fold, but was unsuccessful.
Preparations are underway at Shoukath's camp for the oath-taking ceremony and the subsequent celebrations.