Nilambur bypoll: Congress fields Aryadan Shoukath

Malappuram (Kerala), May 26 (PTI) The Congress party on Monday named Aryadan Shoukath as the party-led UDF's candidate for the upcoming by-election to the Nilambur Assembly segment in Kerala.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge approved Shoukath's candidature for the constituency, the party said in a statement.

Shoukath is the son of the late Congress veteran and former Kerala minister Aryadan Mohammed.

Soon after Shoukath's candidature was announced by the AICC, Congress leader V D Satheesan said he was the only name proposed by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for the seat.

"Shoukath, the UDF candidate, will win the seat with a thumping majority," Satheesan told reporters here.

Reacting to the party’s decision, Shoukath said he received the opportunity to contest the polls with the support of Congress and UDF workers.

The seat fell vacant following the resignation of the sitting legislator, P V Anvar, due to his differences with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on various issues.

Anvar had won the constituency as a Left legislator in 2016 and 2021. He later joined the Trinamool Congress.

The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the BJP-led LDF are yet to announce their candidates.

The Nilambur by-election will be held on June 19.

According to the Election Commission's notification, the last date for filing nominations for the by-election is June 2.

The results will be announced on June 23. PTI