Will not yield to PV Anvar's demand; Aryadan Shoukath to contest as UDF candidate in Nilambur by-election

MALAPPURAM: Aryadan Shoukath will contest the Nilambur by-election as the UDF candidate. KPCC General Secretary Shoukath's name has been submitted as a candidate to the KPCC high command. It is reported that the candidate announcement will be done tonight. KPCC's move was made without giving in to the pressure raised by Trinamool Congress leader PV Anvar.

Anvar bargained for DCC President VS Joy. State leaders spoke to VS Joy regarding the candidacy. Joy has assured that he will provide full support to the party candidate. Joy had the support of Opposition Leader VD Satheesan but it is assessed that the recent change in the KPCC leadership has been a setback for Joy. The fact that Joy still has a chance to contest was also being considered. There is also a strong demand in the party that Joy, who is an excellent DCC president, should coordinate the elections.

Aryadan Shoukath had the upper hand in the discussions of the state leaders as well. Shoukath was supported by the KPCC reorganization based on communal considerations. The leadership calculates that with Sunny Joseph, a Christian, as the president, making Shoukath the candidate will not raise any objections from that faction.

Meanwhile, Anvar has made it clear that he will not accept making Aryadan Shoukath the candidate. "I didn't resign to make anyone an MLA. If aspirants want to contest, there will be more than a hundred vacant seats in ten months," Anvar said.