UDF clears collaboration with former Left-backed Independent legislator Anvar

Kozhikode, Kerala: The key meeting of the Congress-led United Democratic Front ( UDF) held here on Friday cleared collaboration with P.V. Anvar, the now-resigned two-time CPI-M supported Independent legislator from Nilambur in Malappuram district.

UDF Convenor M.M. Hassan said the decision has been made to ensure Anvar joins the UDF.

"The UDF meeting has now given the task of deciding the modalities of cooperation with Anvar to the Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan. Satheesan will now speak to our allies and also to the Congress party high command. Satheesan will do this in a week’s time," he said.

Responding to the news, Anvar said: "Yes, this is good news, and now, we will wait."

The Congress-led UDF consists of over half a dozen allies and Anvar, since 2016 when he won his first election defeating Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath, has been the bitterest critic of the party, IANS reported.

After he repeated his victory, again defeating the Congress candidate, he became close to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and his attack on the Congress-led UDF increased.

But last year, he turned against Vijayan and the CPI-M, and for nearly six months, Anvar was going hammer and tongs against Vijayan.

Following his outburst, the CPI-M booted him out and Anvar surprised all when in January he submitted his resignation as a legislator.

However the Congress-led UDF was not impressed, and soon Anvar became the coordinator of the Trinamool Congress in Kerala.

The Congress, however, heaved a sigh of relief when Anvar announced that he would not contest the upcoming by-election. Pledging his support to the UDF, he also agreed to campaign for their candidate.

Last week, Anvar had a closed-door meeting with Congress leaders — state party President K. Sudhakaran and Satheesan, who said they would raise his matter at the coming UDF meeting.

It was after this UDF meeting here on Friday that it was announced that the alliance was willing to accommodate Anvar.

With the UDF now giving the green signal to Anvar, as and when the by-election is announced, it will see Anvar firing on all cylinders against Vijayan and the CPI-M.

The coming by-election is going to be an acid test for the ruling Left Democratic Front as the narrative of a third Vijayan government has been already floated by the CPI-M and if they fail to win the by-election, which they held since 2016, questions will be asked how are they going to win the 2026 Assembly polls and form a third successive Left government.