Monday’s endorsement of PV Anwar by Congress for Bepore has electrified Kerala’s pre-poll scene. Targeting CPI(M)’s impregnable Kozhikode seat held by CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s son-in-law PA Mohammed Riyas, KPCC’s Sunny Joseph vowed victory, calling it a done deal.
Since 1977, Bepore has repelled all opposition challengers. Riyas, elevated after marrying Vijayan’s daughter amid pandemic restrictions, not only won but snagged influential ministries, cementing his clout.
Anwar, no stranger to the fray, stepped down last year after fallout with Vijayan. His 15-month campaign blitz targets the perceived ‘family syndicate’ at the top. Post-resignation, he backed UDF, contested bypoll independently (third), and now has Congress’s official nod as UDF ally.
‘I’m here to break the family dominance,’ Anwar declared, sharpening his anti-Riyas, anti-Vijayan focus. Joseph’s bold prediction amplifies the stakes.
With assembly polls nearing, Bepore looms large as a prestige fight. Anwar’s grit versus Riyas’s establishment power promises high drama, voter intrigue, and a possible crack in Left armor. Kerala watches closely as this micro-battle hints at broader tides.