P.V. Anvar steps down as MLA; will his TMC card push a new UDF alliance?

Nilambur MLA P.V. Anvar met Kerala assembly speaker A.N. Shamseer on Monday, 13 January 2025, to formally tender his resignation.

Anvar, who was chosen to become the state coordinator for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), met TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata on Saturday, 11 January, and reportedly spoke with Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee online.

Anvar resigned shortly after his discussions with TMC leaders in Kolkata.

In a social media post, he announced his decision to coordinate the party's activities in Kerala, though he did not confirm whether he had officially joined the TMC. This lack of clarity may be a strategy to avoid potential legal issues under the anti-defection law, which could lead to the loss of his assembly seat.

Although Anvar has taken on the role of state coordinator to strengthen the TMC in Kerala, he has not yet formally joined the party. However, with the TMC's public announcement of his membership, disqualification proceedings could be imminent. Anvar’s resignation seems to be a precautionary move to address this concern.

Anvar’s resignation has fuelled speculation about a potential by-election in Nilambur, which both the ruling and opposition parties in Kerala appear keen to avoid.

Sources close to Anvar suggest that Mamata Banerjee advised him to resign as MLA and contest a by-election. Such a move would increase the party’s visibility in Kerala and could prompt the UDF to reconsider including the TMC in their alliance.

It is understood that the UDF has indicated that discussions about a coalition expansion may align with the election timeline. If a by-election is called in Nilambur and if Anvar contests, it could force the UDF to make a significant decision on the alliance.

After parting ways with the Left Democratic Front (LDF), Anvar sought refuge in the TMC, having been rejected by the DMK in Tamil Nadu, with which he had initially hoped to form an alliance.

Anvar’s political career has been marked by frequent changes. He started as a leader of the Kerala Students Union (KSU), joined the Congress and later aligned with the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran). He subsequently joined the LDF and won two terms from Nilambur as an independent candidate supported by the ruling front.

Anvar initially backed chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but later became a vocal critic of both the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the state police leadership, accusing them of corruption, criminality and anti-minority biases. He claimed that certain officers were conspiring to label the people of Malappuram as 'gold smugglers' and 'hawala operatives'. He also criticised Vijayan for being disconnected from the common people and accused the CPI(M) leadership of ignoring the concerns of ordinary workers. This led to his split with CPI(M) and the Speaker moved him away from the treasury benches.

CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan commented that Anvar’s resignation would have little impact on state politics, dismissing him as a media creation whose relevance would soon fade. He predicted that Anvar would ultimately align with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).