Kerala CM blames ''biggest betrayal'' for Nilambur by-election

Malappuram (Kerala) | A by-election in Kerala's Nilambur assembly constituency is being held due to a major act of betrayal, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Sunday, in a veiled criticism of former MLA and Trinamool Congress state convenor P V Anvar.

Inaugurating the ruling Left Democratic Front's (LDF) campaign in Nilambur, Vijayan said that the LDF candidate M Swaraj has a clean public image and that the front can confidently seek votes in his name.

"This election has become necessary due to the biggest betrayal. From the moment Swaraj was announced as the candidate, there has been strong support -- not just in Nilambur, but across the state," Vijayan said.

Anvar, who was elected from Nilambur in 2021 as an LDF-backed independent, later quit the alliance after falling out with Vijayan. A vocal critic of the Chief Minister, Anvar has said his fight is against "Pinarayism," referring to the CM's leadership style.

Referring to the 1921 Mappila uprising in the Eranad and Valluvanad regions during the Khilafat movement, Vijayan said Nilambur is a land that witnessed the struggles of Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji and other freedom fighters.

"But it is also a land where betrayal took place -- where some helped the British capture Variyamkunnath,"he said.

"In a similar way, we are now facing this election as victims of betrayal," the CPI(M) veteran said without naming Anvar.

Chief minister added that the LDF is not troubled by such setbacks and is contesting the election with confidence and strong hopes of a clear win.

Vijayan said many people who had not actively participated in LDF events so far came on Saturday to welcome Swaraj.

"This shows that the candidature has been accepted by the people with a special sense of emotion. There is no surprise in that. Swaraj is a leader who has maintained a clean image through his public work so far. He can seek votes with his head held high in front of anyone," he said.

Vijayan also took a veiled swipe at the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), without naming it, saying the public knows that misleading people is not the LDF's way.

He recalled an incident from the time when forest brigand Veerappan was active. "A journalist once met Veerappan, who asked why the media keeps reporting on him but not on a Kerala minister involved in illegal tree-felling," Vijayan said.

"Everyone knows who went there to assist that minister," said the CPI(M) veteran, without naming either the minister or the person who allegedly helped him.

He added that such actions do not happen under LDF governments and will not impact the party's prospects.

The main contest in the by-election, scheduled for June 19, is between CPI(M) state secretariat member M Swaraj and the Congress nominee Aryadan Shoukath.

Anvar, who resigned as MLA paving the way for the by-election, is also contesting the poll. The BJP on Sunday nominated Mohan George as its candidate for the by-election.