With voting scheduled for 19 June and the results to be declared on 23 June, the by-election appears to offer a preview of what is in store for the 2026 Assembly elections.
Published Jun 18, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 18, 2025 | 9:00 AM
UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath during a campaign on Tuesday
Synopsis: As Nilambur heads to the polls on 19 June, a triangular contest between CPI(M)’s M Swaraj, UDF’s Aryadan Shoukath, and independent PV Anvar has captured state-wide attention, with campaign rhetoric intensifying in the final days. The by-election, sparked by Anvar’s earlier resignation, has grown into a high-stakes political drama marked by shifting alliances, communal accusations, turning the contest into a preview of what is to come in Kerala’s 2026 Assembly elections.
What began as a straightforward by-election, necessitated by the resignation of MLA PV Anvar earlier this year, has, over the past five months, transformed into a multi-layered political drama.
The Nilambur bypoll has seen surprise entries, shifting alliances, charged street campaigns, and high-voltage controversies.
From the unexpected candidature of the LDF’s M Swaraj to Anvar’s dramatic return to the fray, from protesting ASHA workers to the heated debate surrounding the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed Welfare Party’s position – the contest has been anything but predictable.
Add to this the PDP’s backing of the CPI(M), the SDPI’s entry into the race, clashes over welfare pensions, human-wildlife conflict in the region, and literary and cultural figures taking sides – the first act of Nilambur’s political play has gripped attention across the state.
Now, with voting scheduled for 19 June and the results to be declared on 23 June, the by-election appears to offer a preview of what is in store for the 2026 Assembly elections.
The campaign concluded on Tuesday evening, marked by high-decibel rhetoric, aggressive grassroots mobilisation, and allegations of communal polarisation.
Though ten candidates are in the fray, the real contest has taken shape as a triangular battle between CPI(M) State Secretariat member M Swaraj (LDF), Congress General Secretary Aryadan Shoukath (UDF), and PV Anvar, who is contesting independently.
LDF candidate M Swaraj during the election campaign with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
The BJP, fielding former Kerala Congress leader Mohan George, remains on the margins of the race.
The bypoll was necessitated by Anvar’s resignation following his public fallout with the CPI(M). And although Anvar seemed aligned with the UDF, disagreements over the candidate meant his shock return into the fray.
In the final days, parties intensified their outreach with roadshows, street-corner meetings, and house visits. On Monday, farm labourers went door to door canvassing for the UDF’s Aryadan Shoukath, alleging that the LDF government had ignored their welfare and pension needs.
A visible presence in the campaign were ASHA workers who, while professing political neutrality, worked against the LDF, citing continued apathy towards their long-pending demands for better pay and improved service conditions.
Communal polarisation emerged as a dominant issue in the final stretch. Both the LDF and BJP accused each other – and the UDF – of aligning with communal outfits.
Former Union Minister and BJP leader V Muraleedharan, inaugurating a BJP campaign meeting, alleged that both the LDF and UDF were compromising national unity by courting organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami and the Welfare Party of India, which has declared support for the UDF.
The PDP, meanwhile, has backed the LDF.
Muraleedharan also accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of invoking international issues to build communal narratives for political gain.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) Politburo member A Vijayaraghavan accused UDF leaders of legitimising Jamaat-e-Islami in pursuit of vote bank politics, warning of consequences.
“Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan has whitewashed an outfit that should not be encouraged. This will be the UDF’s self-goal,” he said.
BJP candidate Mohan George during the Kottikalasham on Tuesday
CPI Kerala State Secretary Binoy Viswam expressed confidence in an LDF victory, framing Nilambur as a referendum against what he termed the Congress’s communal overtures.
UDF leaders, for their part, cast the bypoll as a test of public sentiment against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government, positioning it as a curtain-raiser for the 2026 Assembly elections.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan predicted a “thumping victory” for Shoukath, claiming a lead of at least 15,000 votes. He alleged that the LDF was resorting to communal tactics out of desperation.
IUML State President Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal and AICC leaders KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala joined the UDF campaign, criticising the Chief Minister for being out of touch with the people.
“Oommen Chandy showed us how a leader should stay close to the people. Only the UDF can bring back that connect,” said Thangal.
KPCC President Sunny Joseph pointed to several issues, including the refusal to raise ASHA workers’ pay, alleged neglect of Malappuram district, and prioritisation of perks for senior officials, as evidence of the LDF’s misplaced priorities.
However, concerns have also been raised over the UDF’s alliance with the Welfare Party, with some Muslim and Christian organisations criticising the Congress – particularly Satheesan – for endorsing the party.
PV Anvar continued to project confidence, asserting that a political upset was on the cards. He skipped final-day public events citing traffic congestion but claimed his team was working to ensure voter turnout.
P V Anvar during the election campaign
In a direct challenge to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) State Secretary MV Govindan, Anvar said they should resign if the LDF’s Swaraj was defeated.
He alleged that both LDF and UDF candidates were distributing money and welfare kits to influence voters.
Predicting outcomes, Anvar said, “Swaraj won’t cross 35,000 votes, Shoukath won’t go beyond 45,000, and I will get no less than 75,000 votes.”
He claimed that he was attracting support from across party lines, estimating that 35–45 percent of CPI(M) voters and 25 percent of UDF voters would back him.
Adding a cultural dimension to the contest, groups of writers and artists have taken visible political stances.
Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi with UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath
On Tuesday, a collective including KG Sankara Pillai, Kalpatta Narayanan, J Devika, B Rajeevan, and Joy Mathew endorsed UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath, praising his contributions to education and culture in Nilambur.
At a meeting with beneficiaries of Shoukath’s civic initiatives, Kalpatta Narayanan said, “If I were a Nilambur voter, I would back the Congress as part of the national fight against fascism.”
This followed an earlier event by the Left’s cultural forum, Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham, titled Samskarika Keralam Swarajinoppam. It featured figures like Vaisakhan, Nilambur Ayisha, TD Ramakrishnan, and KP Ramanunni expressing support for the LDF’s M Swaraj.
These public endorsements have given the contest a distinctly cultural-political edge.
The Nilambur Assembly constituency includes the Nilambur municipality and the panchayats of Vazhikkadavu, Moothedam, Edakkara, Pothukal, Chungathara, Karulai, and Amarambalam.
According to the final electoral roll, the constituency has 2,32,384 registered voters – comprising 1,18,889 women, 1,13,486 men, and nine third-gender voters.
Polling will take place from 7 am to 6.30 pm across 263 polling stations – 59 of which are newly established.
In the 2021 Assembly election, the LDF-backed independent PV Anvar won the seat by a margin of 2,700 votes, defeating UDF’s VV Prakash.
To oversee election arrangements, a District Election Control Room has been set up at the District Collector’s Office (Phone: 0483 2734990), while a dedicated call centre is operational at the Nilambur Rest House (Phone: 048931 220039), officials said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
