In a bold pre-election move, the Congress party has officially endorsed two-time independent MLA PV Anwar as its candidate for the Bepore assembly constituency in Kozhikode district, Kerala. This announcement, made on Monday by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph, signals the party’s aggressive intent to challenge the Left’s long-standing dominance in the region.
Bepore has been a fortress for the CPI(M) for decades, with no opposition victory since 1977. The current MLA, PA Mohammed Riyas, son-in-law of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state tourism minister, won the seat decisively and was promptly elevated to the cabinet. Anwar’s candidacy injects fresh drama into what promises to be a fiercely contested battle.
Sunny Joseph confidently declared, ‘Anwar will win from Bepore and become the MLA.’ This endorsement underscores Congress’s strategy within the United Democratic Front (UDF) to reclaim the seat through Anwar’s local appeal and anti-incumbency sentiments.
Anwar, who resigned from the assembly last year amid clashes with Vijayan, has been campaigning vigorously for over 15 months. He frames his fight as a direct assault on the ‘family dominance’ around the chief minister, targeting both Vijayan and Riyas. ‘My mission is to end this alleged family fiefdom,’ Anwar stated emphatically.
Riyas’s rapid rise—from a low-key wedding to Vijayan’s daughter during the COVID-19 lockdown to holding key portfolios like public works and tourism—has solidified his position. Yet Anwar, after supporting UDF briefly and contesting a bypoll independently (finishing third), is back with full Congress backing.
As Kerala assembly elections loom without an official date, all eyes are on Bepore. This high-stakes clash could reshape local politics, testing Congress’s revival plans against the Left’s iron grip. With Anwar’s fiery rhetoric and Joseph’s firm support, the seat is set for an electrifying showdown.