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Just ten months ahead of the 2026 Kerala Assembly election, the constituency of Nilambur has turned into a political battlefield. What should have been a routine bye-election for a short term has transformed into a high-octane face-off, drawing national leaders like Priyanka Gandhi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and a flood of campaigners from both the LDF and UDF camps.
The contest was triggered by the dramatic resignation of PV Anvar, who left the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) late in 2024. But the campaigning quickly ballooned into something bigger. Despite the brief term on offer, both the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) are treating Nilambur like a dress rehearsal for the 2026 showdown. The three key candidates in the fray are M Swaraj of the LDF, Aryadan Shoukath of the UDF, and Anvar, contesting as an independent after his failed attempt to run on a Trinamool Congress ticket.
As the LDF touts its nine years in power, portraying this bye-election as key to sustaining its governance, the UDF is framing it as an opportunity to reclaim the nine years it says were “lost” to the Left. Anvar, meanwhile, is pitching himself as the anti-establishment choice, calling on voters to reject both fronts and “end Pinarayism.”
Nilambur, meanwhile, is buzzing with campaign fervour. Campaign songs and parody jingles blare from vehicles, giant posters tower over junctions, and people are eager to weigh in on the race. “The election became interesting after Swaraj’s candidacy announcement. Now this will be a tough competition,” said Abid, an auto driver in Nilambur town. On the ground, it's clear that the real contest is primarily between the LDF and the UDF, with both fronts pulling out all the stops.
Nilambur’s shifting loyalties
The Nilambur constituency includes one municipality and seven grama panchayats — Amarambalam, Chungathara, Edakkara, Karulai, Moothedam, Pothukal and Vazhikkadavu. After the constituency was established in 1965, Nilambur had backed the Left in its first Assembly election in 1967. However, Congress wrested the seat in 1970 and held on to it for the next 15 years, before the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] managed to reclaim it in 1982. The constituency swung back to the UDF in 1987 and went on to become a stronghold of veteran Congress leader Aryadan Muhammed, who held it until 2016.
That year marked a turning point as PV Anvar, contesting with the backing of the LDF, won the seat and went on to represent Nilambur until his resignation in January 2025.
Now, Aryadan Muhammed’s son, Aryadan Shoukath, is attempting to carry forward his father’s legacy by contesting on a UDF ticket. But his candidacy has not gone unchallenged — particularly by Anvar.
Anvar’s rebellion
After leaving the LDF, Anvar joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and initially pledged support to the UDF. He even lobbied for Malappuram District Congress Committee (DCC) president V S Joy to be given the ticket. But when the UDF decided to field Aryadan Shoukath, Anvar turned against the UDF, accusing Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan of authoritarianism. According to Anvar, there was an initial agreement to induct him into the UDF, but it was vetoed by Satheesan.
Openly dismissing Shoukath's prospects, Anvar told the media: “He will never win. He can’t campaign against ‘Pinarayism’. He has no connect with the people of Nilambur or the issues they face.”
Shoukath, though, is no stranger to public life. A noted screenwriter and film producer, his work — such as Padam Onnu: Oru Vilapam, Vilapangalkkappuram, Daivanamathil, and Varthamanam — is known for tackling social issues. He has also served as chairman of the Nilambur municipality and held various local governance roles.
The LDF, for its part, fielded a star candidate with M Swaraj, a fiery youth leader and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). A native of Nilambur, Swaraj had begun his political career with the Students' Federation of India (SFI), aligned with the CPI(M), and rose through the party’s youth wing, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). He was elected from Thripunithura in the 2016 Assembly election by defeating Congress veteran K Babu, though he eventually lost to Babu in 2021.
Meanwhile, Anvar’s attempt to contest under the TMC banner was blocked by the Election Commission (EC) due to technical issues. He is now in the fray as an independent.
No ‘Anvar’ factor
Both the LDF and UDF insist that Anvar won’t make a dent in the outcome.
“This is a straight fight between the LDF and UDF. Nothing else is relevant here,” Shoukath told TNM during a campaign stop in Millumpadi.
Swaraj echoed the sentiment, speaking to TNM while meeting the voters. “There’s no Anvar factor in this election,” he said.
On the ground too, many voters seem to agree. “I voted for Anvar last time,” said Riyas, a 60-year-old street vendor. “But not again. He says one thing today, another tomorrow. How can we trust him?”
Still, Anvar remains confident, telling the media that “75% of the voters” will support him.
But parallel to the electoral noise, Nilambur is also witnessing local unrest. Two agitations — both aimed squarely at the ruling LDF — are unfolding alongside the campaign. One involves ASHA workers mobilising against the state government. Another sees a group of tribal residents threatening to boycott the election altogether, demanding long-pending land rights.
‘No vote for those who insulted ASHA workers’
On June 12, a group of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) began a door-to-door campaign in Nilambur with a clear message: “No vote for the government that insulted ASHA workers.” Organised by the Kerala ASHA Health Workers’ Association (KAHWA), the campaign is part of a larger agitation against the LDF government, demanding fair wages and retirement benefits.
“This government claims to be pro-workers, pro-people, and pro-women. But we — women — have been protesting on the streets for more than 120 days,” said Mini, vice president of the KAHWA. “They have not only ignored our demands, but have humiliated us. Their actions make it clear they are neither pro-worker nor pro-women.” She added that the ASHA workers’ voices deserve to be heard in this election.
The UDF, which backed the ASHA strike when it began at the Secretariat in February, has highlighted the protest during its election campaign. Shoukath repeatedly spoke to voters about the government’s failure to address the ASHA workers’ grievances.
Swaraj told TNM that many ASHA workers, meanwhile, were campaigning for the LDF. “ASHA workers are actively campaigning with us. My understanding is that this protest is being conducted by others in their name,” he said. “They have the right to protest. But I believe ASHA workers will not support a campaign against a government that raised their honorarium from Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,000,” he said.
Tribal boycott over broken land promises
A group of Adivasi residents from various tribal colonies in Nilambur is also conducting an agitation near the Malappuram collectorate, demanding land that was promised to them after a gruelling 314-day hunger strike. This time, they are also boycotting the Nilambur bye-election as part of their agitation.
“Why should we vote? They are elected because of our votes, but we have to beg repeatedly for basic needs like land and housing,” said Bindu Vailassery, who is leading the protest. “We get to vote once every five years, and yet our people don’t truly know its value. This time, we have no interest in the Nilambur election.”
In 2023, under Bindu’s leadership, a hunger strike was held in front of the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) office in Nilambur, demanding land rights for all landless Adivasi families in the region. The protest ended only after the District Collector assured them in writing that 50 cents of land each would be given to 60 families within six months. But months passed, and nothing changed.
In November 2024, Adivasi leaders met the Collector again. He asked for three more months and gave a renewed written assurance. When the leaders followed up four months later, in April 2025, they were told, yet again, to wait. Fed up with the repeated delays, the community launched another protest, this time outside the Malappuram Collectorate.
Speaking to TNM, Swaraj said the government has been actively distributing patta (land titles) to landless and Scheduled Tribe families, but acknowledged there were delays. “There might be shortcomings in implementation at the official level, but these can be resolved. We are with the marginalised and the Scheduled Tribes, this is their party,” he said. “If someone raises these issues only for electoral gain, we are not compelled to intervene. Elections are not our criteria for action.”
Shoukath, meanwhile, said that if voted to power, the issue would be addressed under his governance.
The bye-election has also stirred controversy over endorsements from religious and fringe political groups. The Jamaat-e-Islami and the Welfare Party have declared their support for the UDF, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Hindu Mahasabha have announced support for the LDF.
Both candidates responded to the developments. Shoukath dismissed the criticism from the Left as hypocritical. “This is not the first time Jamaat-e-Islami or the Welfare Party is supporting the UDF. When they back the LDF, they’re called secularists. But when they support the UDF, they’re suddenly extremists. How is that possible?”
Swaraj, meanwhile, downplayed the endorsement by the PDP, stating that they had declared a secular stance. “I don’t know anything about that ‘sabha.’ But I’ve made my position clear — communalists won’t be considered human,” he said.
The Nilambur bye-election is scheduled for June 19, with results to be announced on June 23.