Couple of blots in largely clean list

T’puram: After trying numerous permutations and combinations, the CPM state secretariat on Saturday finalized Nilambur MLA P V Anvar as the LDF candidate for Ponnani. Anvar will fight as an LDF-backed independent. Anvar is an accused in a financial fraud case and his water theme park in Kakkadampoil in Kozhikode was set up flouing a set of revenue and environment laws.
Anvar and P Jayarajan, an accused in Ariyil Shukoor murder case, are the only blots in an otherwise clean list of 16 candidates announced by CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Saturday. Inclusion of Innocent, who is seeking a second term from Chalakudy, also raised some eyebrows as he allegedly took a stand in favour of the accused actor in the actress rape case. The list has two women – P K Sreemathy (Kannur) and Veena George (Pathanamthitta).

“We wanted to field more women. But, we need to consider ground reality in each constituency too. Both the women candidates announced by us are fighting in winnable seats,” said Balakrishnan.

He dismissed allegations against Anvar as ‘baseless’ and argued that cases against Jayarajan are fabricated. “Jayarajan is a living martyr. RSS criminals brutally attacked him by breaking into his house. Anyone who wants to oppose politics of violence should support Jayarajan,” Kodiyeri said.

Sources in CPM said Anvar was picked as the CPM Malappuram district committee recommended that he is a winnable candidate for Ponnani, which had so far resisted all attempts by the LDF to break the monopoly of the Muslim League.

“Anvar has the support of Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar and he is able to win disgruntled voters in the League camp. You can’t dismiss his performance in Nilambur in 2016,” said a CPM leader. .