‘No Anvar factor in Nilambur bye-poll’: Aryadan Shoukath interview
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The candidate who wins Nilambur bye-poll would have tenure of merely 10 months as the state would be heading for Assembly election in 2026. Yet the constituency in Malappuram district has found itself at the center of a high-stakes election where all political fronts want to prove a point and set the narrative for the upcoming Assembly election. The election was necessitated when PV Anvar, a former independent MLA backed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) submitted his resignation in January after parting ways with them.
In Nilambur, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has fielded Aryadan Shoukath, while the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led LDF has nominated M Swaraj. PV Anvar, who joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) following his resignation, will contest as an independent candidate after the election commission rejected his nomination as a TMC candidate, citing technical issues. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Mohan George as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate.
Aryadan Shoukath, son of the late Aryadan Muhammed who represented Nilambur constituency for nearly 30 years, is a formidable opponent to LDF’s M Swaraj. As the son of a political stalwart who shaped this constituency for three decades, Shoukath carries both the weight of legacy and the burden of expectations. Shoukath is also a film producer and screenwriter, particularly known for producing and writing films that address social issues. He served as the chairman of Nilambur municipality and has held various positions in local governance. He contested the 2016 Kerala Assembly elections from Nilambur but lost to Anvar, who represented the constituency from 2016 to 2024.
While interacting with the voters, Shoukath emphasised the nine years they ‘lost’ and urged them to vote for the UDF for a better future.
Amidst his busy campaign schedule, Aryadan Shoukath spoke to TNM's Haritha Manav about the significance of this election for the UDF, and how he plans to address the pressing issues plaguing the constituency. From the longstanding tribal land disputes that have left indigenous communities in limbo to the escalating human-animal conflict that threatens both lives and livelihoods, Shoukath outlines his roadmap for Nilambur's future.
Excerpts from the interview:
The tenure of the candidate who wins this bye-election will be less than ten months. How relevant is this election and why is it significant for the UDF?
UDF considers this election to be important. We have never perceived it as an election which chooses an MLA for 10 months. Instead, we see it as an opportunity for the people in Nilambur to stand up against the government led by Pinarayi Vijayan facing anti-incumbency because of corruption, injustice, and favouritism.
Do you think Anvar’s candidacy would make a dent in the UDF’s vote share in this election?
Never. In Nilambur, the competition is between the UDF and LDF. Nothing else is relevant here.
There are many individuals, especially from the Left, who criticised the UDF after the Jamaat-e-Islami and Welfare Party declared their support for the front. How do you respond to these criticisms?
This is not the first time the Jamaat-e-Islami or the Welfare Party has supported the Congress party. We had their support in the 2019 parliamentary election in Wayanad when Rahul Gandhi was the UDF candidate. Then in the 2024 Wayanad Lok Sabha election and the bye-election after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat. In the past, Jamaat-e-Islami had supported the LDF. When they support LDF, they become secularists, but when they support UDF, they become extremists. How’s that possible?
Human-animal conflict is a serious issue in Nilambur. How are you planning to address it? Do you believe the Union government needs to amend the laws to address this issue?
This is one of the key issues in this election. We are committed to addressing it. Human-animal conflict is not a new issue here, it has existed for many years. But earlier, the government used to resolve the issue quickly, especially in two ways. They used to build trenches and compound walls in the human habitats to ensure safety. The LDF government failed to maintain the tranches and compound walls built during the UDF government.
Earlier, a Gaur attacked a human and that animal was killed as soon as possible. That time the UDF government used the same law. The law allows killing of animals that threaten human life.
Another important issue in this constituency is the landlessness of tribal communities. A protest by the Scheduled Tribe community is currently happening in Nilambur. How do you plan to address this issue?
Around 300 Adivasi families who lost their homes in the 2019 flood are still living in makeshift huts. We will definitely consider this issue.