Key Points

Top Congress leaders -- State party president K. Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan -- held talks with Anvar on Wednesday. By the end of the closed-door meeting, all three emerged smiling, a clear signal that tensions had eased.

The outcome was a crucial breakthrough for the Congress, which was facing a do-or-die battle in the upcoming Nilambur by-election.

Anvar, a two-time CPI(M)-backed independent MLA, was once close to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. But that relationship soured in the second half of 2024 after Anvar's demand for a probe against Vijayan's key aides -- political secretary P. Sasi and top police officer ADGP M.R. Ajithkumar -- was turned down. From then on, he turned sharply against the CM.

In January, Anvar stunned political circles by resigning from the Assembly, pledging support to the Congress, and announcing he would not contest the by-election. However, his expectations of a smooth entry into the Congress-led UDF were quickly dashed as internal resistance emerged. There was growing sentiment that Anvar, long treated as a political outsider since 2016, should remain so.

Amid these tensions, Anvar's overtures to the Trinamool Congress raised eyebrows and drew a stern response from both Sudhakaran and Satheesan, who made it clear that such a move was unacceptable.

At Wednesday's meeting, Anvar reportedly agreed to abide by the Congress' proposal -- his induction into the UDF would be discussed and decided at the next meeting, in consultation with all allies.

The consensus emerging from the meeting suggested that a truce had been reached. The Congress leadership appeared confident that Anvar would now follow the party line.

With Anvar pacified, the Congress must now finalize its candidate for Nilambur. Two names are in the fray -- Aryadan Shoukath and V.S. Joy -- both staking their claim to the party ticket.

Nilambur, located in Malappuram district, is a stronghold of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second-largest ally in the UDF. The party's youth wing has already launched its campaign.

"Our activists have covered almost all parts of Nilambur, spreading the message that the most corrupt government under Pinarayi Vijayan must be ousted in 2026 -- and the movement should start here," said IUML youth wing members.

"The candidate is the Congress's choice, and whoever it is, we will back them fully. That's why we've already hit the ground."

In 2016, Anvar had won Nilambur by over 10,000 votes, but his margin shrank to under 3,000 in 2021. This time, he has predicted a landslide victory for the Congress candidate.

- IANS