After challenging CM Vijayan, Anvar seeks Cong-led UDF

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 8 (IANS) Two-time Left-supported Independent legislator P.V. Anvar after being ousted from the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front for taking cudgels against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has started to knock the doors of the Congress-led UDF now.

Anvar has been representing the Nilambur Assembly constituency in Malappuram district after Congress veteran Aryadan Mohammed quit electoral politics in 2016.

At the 2016 Assembly polls, Anvar defeated Mohammed’s son Aryadan Shoukat and in the 2021 polls retained the seat after defeating Congress candidate V.V. Prakash. On both occasions, Anvar contested as a Left-backed Independent legislator and things remained fine till September last year when he levelled corruption allegations against the two close aides of CM Vijayan -- ADGP M.R. Ajithkumar and the political secretary P. Sasi.

With CM Vijayan ignoring Anvar’s request, the latter turned his ire against the former and soon was ousted from the ruling LDF.

On Sunday (January 5), the tiff reached a point of no return when the police arrested Anvar for leading a group of protesters in his home town -- Nilambur after a man was trampled to death by a wild elephant.

A day later after he got bail, Anvar declared war against CM Vijayan and announced that his only agenda was to bring down Vijayan from the post of chief minister.

“I will now approach all the leaders of the Congress-led UDF and as the first step I have met the supreme leader of the Indian Union Muslim League (the second biggest ally in the UDF) and will now call on Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and all leading lights of the UDF,” said Anvar.

Satheesan is upset with Anvar as the latter levelled corruption allegations in the Assembly last year. Since then Satheesan has declared war with Anvar.

“I am the chairman of the UDF and my request to the media is to allow us to decide our affairs. Please do not give unfounded news. The issue of Anvar has not come before the UDF at all,” said Satheesan.

A media critic on condition of anonymity said, "The practice in Kerala, seen over the last several decades, is when a party or a legislator decides to end a relationship with one political front, the next option is to join the opposition and that’s what Anvar is trying to do. In Anvar’s case, a section of Congress is not keen to bring Anvar to the fold. But that job could be taken up by the IUML as Anvar’s political ground is the Muslim-strong Malappuram district, where the IUML-- which has now been out of power for the past more than years, will not risk displeasing Anvar. So with the local bodies poll later this year and the Assembly elections next year, the IUML is going to bat for Anvar.”

With the budget session of the Kerala Assembly to commence later this month, Anvar, who for the past more than eight years was a livewire for the Left in attacking the Congress-led UDF opposition, has a change in the strategy after challenging CM Vijayan. On Tuesday he alleged that the amendments proposed by the Left government to the state's Forest Act were "dangerous" and "anti-people" and said he would stand with the Congress-led UDF in opposing it.

Anvar urged the UDF to oppose the Forest Act Amendment Bill. He said it was the need of the hour to focus on working for the tribals and those living in the hilly areas as that would help the opposition to come back to power