Malappuram: As the Nilambur Assembly byelection gathers momentum, affidavits submitted by key candidates reveal stark contrasts in personal wealth and liabilities.

UDF’s Aryadan Shoukath, son of veteran Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed, has declared movable assets worth ₹2.18 crore and immovable assets valued at ₹8 crore. His wife owns movable assets of ₹83 lakh and immovable property worth ₹3.67 crore. The couple also declared a total liability of ₹2.2 crore--₹71.82 lakh in Shoukath’s name and ₹1.49 crore in his wife’s.

P V Anvar, contesting as the candidate of the newly formed Janakeeya Prathipaksha Prathirodha Munnani (JPPM) backed by the Trinamool Congress, declared assets worth over ₹52 crore and liabilities close to ₹20 crore. This includes bank loans of nearly ₹9 crore. His movable assets are pegged at ₹18 crore, while immovable properties are valued at more than ₹34 crore.

Anvar’s affidavit also names his two wives as holding assets of over ₹8 crore and ₹3 crore respectively, including 1.2 kilograms of gold each. In the 2021 elections, Anvar had declared assets exceeding ₹64 crore and liabilities of ₹17 crore.

He further disclosed facing 10 criminal cases, ranging from destruction of public property and leaking official communications to delivering provocative speeches. Most cases were registered between 2024 and 2025, though no charges have been framed yet.

Anvar resigned as an LDF-backed independent MLA after a public rift with the CPM and has since launched his own political platform. His educational qualification is listed as pre-degree completed from Kozhikode University in 1985.

LDF candidate M Swaraj, former MLA and prominent youth leader of the CPM, declared assets of over ₹63 lakh and liabilities of around ₹9 lakh. His wife’s assets are valued at approximately ₹94 lakh, which includes 200 grams of gold. She also has liabilities amounting to ₹25.46 lakh.

While Swaraj did not furnish his income details for the past five years, his wife reported an income of ₹10.52 lakh for the financial year 2024–25.

The affidavit also mentions a criminal case from 2014 related to a protest march to the residence of the then education minister. Swaraj was convicted in December 2023 and sentenced to one year of simple imprisonment along with a fine of ₹5,000. He has filed an appeal, which is scheduled to be heard on June 5.

BJP candidate Mohan George has declared movable assets worth ₹3 lakh. His wife owns movable assets of ₹5.8 lakh.

The Nilambur byelection is scheduled for June 19, with counting on June 23.