Nilambur: Independent candidate for Nilambur byelection P V Anvar met with Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama president Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal on Tuesday. The meeting took place at Thangal’s residence. Anvar’s visit comes shortly after Samastha publicly clarified its stance on the Jamaat issue.

The prominent Sunni Muslim scholars' body has reaffirmed its stance against engaging with the Jamaat-e-Islami and Mujahid movement. Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami has announced its support for the UDF in the bypoll. 

Though Anvar had earlier said he would not hold a ‘kottikkalasam’, grand campaign finale, he has been actively campaigning by meeting prominent community leaders. Initially, Anvar had announced that he would not contest the bypoll, but later entered the fray following the breakdown of seat-sharing talks with the UDF. He filed his nomination papers on June 1.

The Nilambur by-election, scheduled ahead of the local body and Assembly elections, is being viewed as a semi-final by the major political fronts. The 21-day campaign has become a show of strength for all sides. Both the UDF and LDF have mobilised their full machinery in Nilambur.

The UDF has fielded Aryadan Shoukath as candidate, while the CPM has nominated state secretariat member M Swaraj. With the entry of advocate Mohan George, a former Kerala Congress leader, the BJP has also stepped up efforts in the constituency.