MALAPPURAM: Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan justified Rahul Mamkootathil MLA's meeting with P V Anvar. He said Rahul did not meet Anvar on the directions of the party. While talking to the media, Murali said Rahul met Anvar because people with same ideas need not contest. He added that there is no need to distort Rahul's Facebook post asking to field M Swaraj as Left candidate.

'Rahul met P V Anvar personally. There were no party directions in it. There is no need to turn the meeting controversial. Anvar has time to reconsider his decision. There is no need to distort Rahul’s post suggesting to make M Swaraj the CPM candidate. The CPM looked for independents as its candidate. Swaraj was chosen after not finding anyone. Anvar is one who fights against Pinarayism. Rahul spoke to Anvar in that angle. Both of them have the same ideas. Rahul expressed his stance that such people should not contest. No one is afraid of Swaraj’s candidature,' said K Muraleedharan.

Anvar had initially said in the press meet convened yesterday morning that he would not join the UDF led by V D Satheesan and would not contest the Nilambur by-election. However, by evening he changed his stand and informed to contest. He said that he was under pressure to contest and that many people were approaching him with money.
With the UDF entry being almost a closed chapter, political observers and others had pointed that Anvar is likely to contest. Anvar and his group assessed that if he contests alone in the by-election and proves his strength by getting not less than ten thousand votes, his entry into the UDF in the next assembly elections will be easy.