After provoking the Congress with what looked like two unacceptable conditions for support in by-elections, the leader of the Democratic Movement of Kerala, P V Anvar, has withdrawn one, offering unconditional support to Congress candidate Rahul Mamkoottathil. His candidate M M Minhaj has now been pulled out of the contest.
Nonetheless, Anvar said his "social movement" was uncompromising about the other demand that Ramya Haridas should be replaced as the Congress candidate in Chelakkara.
Since the Congress had laughed away this condition, Anvar said his party would back Congress rebel N K Sudheer, the party's AICC member and secretary of the Dalit Congress. "We will not change our stand even if the President of the United States of America were to ask us," Anvar told a public meeting in Palakkad on Wednesday.
Though he was highly critical of the Congress leadership, Anvar said he was swallowing his pride for the larger goal of defeating the BJP in Palakkad. "The DMK meeting held today has decided to offer unconditional, no strings attached, support for all the necessary steps to be taken for the victory of Rahul Mamoottathil in Palakkad," Anvar said.
"It is not that we are intimidated by the power of the Congress leaders or that we are blind to the selfish tactics of Congress leaders. I am willing to forget the insults heaped on me by Congress leaders because we don't want fascism to enter even through the narrow opening of a slightly open window," he said.
Earlier, causing opposition leader V D Satheesan to respond in the most dismissive manner, Anvar had said that the Congress should do away with its hand symbol and adopt an "independent" symbol for its Palakkad candidate.
Anvar's logic: This way traditional Left voters who hate to see the BJP win but cannot bring themselves to vote for the Congress's "hand" symbol can vote for Rahul without scruples. To both the change of the Congress symbol and removal of Ramya Haridas, Satheesan had vehemently responded by asking whether Anvar was cracking jokes.
Anvar presented his unconditional withdrawal as a political sacrifice, as a selfless attempt to mobilise as much votes as possible against the fascist forces. He said his decision was based on the "shocking revelations" of a survey his party had commissioned.
In short, the survey hinted at a major drubbing for the Congress. Anvar listed out the major findings of the "survey". One, more than 50% of Congress workers in Palakkad do not approve of Rahul Mamkoottathil's candidature.
Two, the votes of Congress workers who are unhappy with Rahul's entry will got to the BJP. Three, if Minhaj withdraws from the race, the anti-Pinarayi vote will shift to the BJP. Four, Muslim community is disillusioned with the Congress leadership.
Five, according to Anvar the "most shocking finding", even the Muslim community considers BJP candidate C Krishnakumar far more acceptable than the Congress.
Anvar’s conclusion: Because of these factors that could sink the Congress and pave the way for a BJP victory, it was important for him and his followers to stand with the UDF in Palakkad.