Behind the News is your round-up of musings from the corridors of power. Read what goes on behind the scenes for news & newsmakers.
Published Jan 22, 2026 | 9:01 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 22, 2026 | 9:01 AM
PV Anvar. (Facebook)
Beypore in Kerala’s Kozhikode was once famous for its boatmakers and uru (traditional ship). These vessels served as a kind of Noah’s Ark for Gulf Malayalees, carrying generations across the seas in search of work.
The Bible says that the animals aboard Noah’s Ark lived in peace during the journey. Politics in Beypore, however, is proving far less peaceful, as the coastal constituency now braces for an unusual and turbulent electoral fight.
Beypore has thrown up the first major twist in the Assembly election fray, leaving even seasoned political observers rubbing their eyes in disbelief. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) announced that it will field a candidate against PV Anvar, who is the state coordinator of the party.
In Beypore, the party and its own man are now poised to face each other across the ballot.
TMC President CG Unni told South First that the party would ”definitely field a candidate” if Anvar contested from Beypore. He added that Anvar became an associate member of the UDF without consulting or seeking permission from the party’s national leadership.
In Kerala politics, defection is common and rebellion routine, but a party officially running against its own coordinator is a rare and striking spectacle.
Anvar’s political journey over the past year has been eventful. He was elected from Nilambur as an LDF MLA, fell out with the Left, resigned from the Assembly, openly criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and eventually aligned with the UDF.
In December last year, the TMC was also accepted as an associate member of the UDF, adding another turn to the story.
Anvar announced his intention to contest from Beypore, the sitting constituency of PWD Minister PA Mohammed Riyas, and began campaigning well in advance.
Flex boards appeared welcoming him. He met local leaders, religious figures and community representatives, making it clear that he saw Beypore as his next political battleground. However, the move did not go unquestioned within his own party.
There was no visible confrontation, just a clear assertion of organisational boundaries. The implication was that the TMC could even field its own candidate in Beypore- a constituency where defeating the LDF has historically been difficult.
Beypore has not elected a non-LDF MLA since 1982. While most parties struggle to find suitable candidates, Beypore now presents an unusual situation — one party and two candidates.
Anvar’s campaign in Beypore has been bold and direct. He has positioned himself as a fighter against ”family rule” repeatedly targeting the chief minister and his son-in-law, Minister Riyas. He has even coined his own term, ”Marumonism” meaning rule by the son-in-law.
Anvar claims that many senior leaders in Kozhikode were pushed aside after Riyas came into the picture, and he believes these sidelined leaders could support him.
Some local Muslim League leaders have hinted that Anvar has a real chance if he contests.
However, Beypore is no ordinary seat. It has been a stronghold of the LDF for over 40 years. In 2021, Riyas won there by more than 28,000 votes. So, while early campaigning and flashy posters can attract attention, history shows that Beypore voters rarely change their loyalty easily.
The interesting part of this election is not just Anvar versus Riyas. It’s also Anvar versus himself — the UDF-backed challenger on one side, and the TMC state coordinator being challenged by his own party on the other.
The UDF has not officially announced a candidate yet, but Anvar is acting as if he’s already been chosen.
In Beypore, political waves don’t just reach the shore — they crash into each other in the middle. And this election, the biggest splash could come from a party chasing its own shadow.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
