I warned you they would cheat you, Jaleel tells Anvar
Former Kerala minister KT Jaleel asserted he warned P.V. Anvar about betraying him over UDF ties, in response to Anvar's claim of backstabbing after the Beypore result. The exchange echoes a history of shifting loyalties and intra-frontline tensions in Kerala politics.
Key takeaways
- KT Jaleel asserts he warned P.V. Anvar about potential betrayal if Anvar aligned with the UDF.
- Anvar’s political path includes success as an LDF-backed Independent and later involvement with the UDF in Beypore.
- Beypore was the only Kozhikode district constituency won by the LDF in the referenced cycle, despite Anvar’s broader vote share in earlier contests.
What Happened
In Kerala, former Local Administration Minister K.T. Jaleel, a CPI(M) leader, responded to a social media claim by former Nilambur MLA P.V. Anvar that the United Democratic Front (UDF) betrayed him in the recent Assembly election. Jaleel said he had warned Anvar at the time that aligning with the UDF would lead to betrayal. The exchange centers on Anvar’s electoral trajectory, including his Beypore contest as a UDF-backed Independent against the LDF candidate and former Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas.
Anvar began his Assembly career as an LDF-backed Independent from Nilambur, winning elections in 2016 and 2021. After a fallout with the CPI(M), he resigned as MLA and launched a campaign criticizing what he labeled as the leadership of Pinarayi Vijayan and his son-in-law, Riyas. Following his resignation, Anvar contested the Nilambur byelection as an Independent backed by the UDF against Aryadan Shoukath and M. Swaraj, finishing third with a sizable vote share (~20,000 votes). This result reinforced for some the UDF’s potential to influence contests, though Anvar later joined the UDF and ran from Beypore as a UDF-backed Independent against Riyas. Riyas won Beypore, the sole Kozhikode district constituency the LDF captured in that cycle. Anvar has since claimed that the UDF did not fully back him in Beypore, despite receiving votes from CPI(M) supporters.
The comments were published on August 25, 2026, reflecting ongoing tensions from a career marked by party shifts and past endorsements within Kerala politics.
Why It Matters
The exchange underscores persistent intra-frontline frictions and personal loyalties that influence electoral alignments in Kerala. Jaleel’s repeated warning references a pattern in which politicians advise allies about the risks of coalition politics, potentially affecting voter perceptions ahead of elections. Anvar’s trajectory — from LDF-backed winner to independent challenger and UDF ally, then alleging betrayal — illustrates how electoral coalitions can reshape individual political capital and affect voter expectations in closely watched constituencies.
Background
Details cited show Anvar’s journey: winning Nilambur as an LDF-backed Independent in 2016 and 2021, resigning to critique the leadership, contesting Nilambur byelections as an Independent backed by the UDF, finishing third with around 20,000 votes, and later aligning with the UDF in Beypore where he contested against P.A. Riyas, who won. Jaleel’s remarks reference his prior warnings about betraying allies and his views on the Congress and IUML within Kerala’s political landscape.
Key Facts
- KT Jaleel is a CPI(M) leader and former Local Administration Minister in Kerala.
- Jaleel said he had warned P.V. Anvar that aligning with the UDF would lead to betrayal.
- P.V. Anvar was an LDF-backed Independent who won Nilambur in 2016 and 2021.
- Anvar resigned as MLA and campaigned against leaders he labeled as Pinarayi Vijayan and Riyas.
- Anvar contested Nilambur byelection as an Independent backed by the UDF and finished third with roughly 20,000 votes.
- Anvar joined the UDF and contested Beypore as a UDF-backed Independent against P.A. Riyas; Riyas defeated him.
- Beypore was the only Kozhikode district constituency won by the LDF in that cycle.
- Anvar claimed the UDF did not fully back him in Beypore despite support from CPI(M) workers.
- The reporting date for these remarks is August 25, 2026.
What Happens Next
The available material does not specify any scheduled future actions or official responses beyond the public exchange itself. The narrative points to continuing tensions around alliance dynamics in Kerala’s political formations, with potential implications for future electoral calculations and candidate support in affected constituencies.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
