Nilambur: Trinamool Congress leader and former MLA PV Anvar on Thursday alleged that the UDF chairman VD Satheeshan was using the upcoming Nilambur byelection to target him rather than Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Speaking to the media here on Thursday, Anvar asked, “Is this byelection really about cornering Pinarayi Vijayan or me? Isn’t it obvious that the UDF is targeting me? This move has an ulterior motive, and I have my own suspicions about what that could be."

Anvar also said that he had been expecting to meet AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, having been asked to reach Kozhikode by 5 pm. However, he claimed he waited until 7.45 pm without meeting, later being informed that Venugopal had urgent matters to attend to.

Anvar further alleged that his sources in Congress told him that Satheeshan had threatened to resign if Venugopal proceeded with a meeting with him. “I was prepared to take a strong stance against 'Pinarayaism', but that requires unity. This cannot be a solo fight.”

He also drew comparisons with TP Chandrasekharan and Abdul Nasser Madani. “Satheesan thinks I’ll end up like them — either killed in the dark or imprisoned and tortured. Why should I agree to such a fate?” he asked.

Anvar reaffirmed his commitment to the people of Nilambur, which does not require him to be in a position of power. “Satheesan is using this byelection to corner me. I will not walk into that trap,” he declared.

The announcement of Aryadan Shoukath as the UDF candidate for the Nilambur bypoll has stirred political tensions, with Anvar openly rejecting the decision and alleging that vested interests were working against him.

The Nilambur bypoll, necessitated by the resignation of Anvar following a strong difference of opinion with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has turned out to be a face-off between Anvar and Satheesan. Though Anvar has been eyeing a berth in the UDF and trying to make the bypoll an occasion to prove his purported influence in the region, his open criticism of the Congress candidate has irked the party leadership. Satheesan, who earlier maintained that the UDF had agreed to make Anvar 'a part of it' and the nature of the association was to be decided after further discussions, has taken a tough stand that Anvar has to make it clear whether he supports the UDF candidate or not. He refused to comment on the criticism raised by Anvar against him.

Senior IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty, meanwhile, said that a decision on Anvar's relationship with the opposition front would be taken on Friday