The TMC in Kerala is headed by former MLA P V Anvar.
While the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) battle it out in West Bengal in next year’s Assembly elections with the CPI(M)-led Left Front potentially by its side, like in previous polls, the two bitter rivals will be on the same side in Kerala in an attempt to oust the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.
On Monday, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) decided to make the TMC’s state unit an “associate member” of the alliance, just short of the status of an ally. Apart from the TMC, the Congress announced that the BJP-led NDA’s estranged constituents Kerala Kamaraj Congress and Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS) would also be made associate members. However, disappointed about being made an associate, instead of a UDF partner, Kamaraj Congress denied quitting the NDA.
The TMC is led by former CPI(M)-backed Independent MLA P V Anvar in Kerala. Last year, Anvar snapped ties with the CPI(M) over differences of opinion with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on matters related to criminal cases involving Muslims in Malappuram. He targeted the office of CM Pinarayi Vijayan, his political secretary P Sasi, and the Home Department under Vijayan. Anvar raised serious allegations against the police department and accused cops of involvement in looting smuggled gold at Kozhikode airport.
He represented the Nilambur Assembly seat in Malappuram since 2016. After quitting as MLA, he formed the collective Democratic Movement of Kerala before joining the TMC as its state coordinator. A businessman-turned politician with a base only in Nilambur, Anvar was said to be angling for an entry into the UDF since then. The Congress, it is learnt, plans to deploy him as a campaigner against Vijayan on issues related to minorities.
Following the UDF meeting on Monday, the alliance’s convener Adoor Prakash and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan told the media that these parties had become part of the UDF without any conditions. “They have made the request without putting forward any condition or demand. The UDF discussed their requests twice and decided to make them associate members,” said Satheesan.
But moments later, Kamaraj Congress leader Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan denied the party’s exit from the NDA. “We are not happy in the NDA. The BJP does not give adequate consideration to its allies. I have been a swayamsevak (of the RSS) since childhood. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has assured that he will look into the issues. He has almost addressed our issues. We have not given any letter to the Congress requesting us to make a partner of the UDF. Let them release the letter, if any,’’ he said.
Chandrasekharan is also the president of the Vaikunda Swami Dharma Pracharana Sabha, which is a prominent organisation of the Nadar community that is numerically strong in Thiruvananthapuram, especially in the southern regions of Neyyattinkara and Parassala. Chandrasekharan’s party joining the UDF would help the alliance retain the Nadar vote bank.
However, Satheesan said Chandrasekharan has been repeatedly demanding that his party be made a partner of the UDF. “His demand was that his party be made an alliance partner. He had met us several times. If is not interested in being an associate member of the UDF, we have no issues,’’ he said.
The JRS is a party floated by Wayanad tribal leader C K Janu. Recently, she quit the NDA, alleging neglect by the BJP. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Janu unsuccessfully contested from the Sulthan Bathery constituency.