Kerala Congress leader AK Antony confident of UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath's victory in Nilambur by-elections

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 31 (ANI): Former Defence Minister and Congress leader AK Antony on Friday expressed confidence that United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Aryadan Shoukath will emerge victorious in the upcoming Nilambur by-elections.
Antony asserted that the by-election would serve as a public verdict against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government.
"People who wish that the Pinarayi government wouldn't come into power again will vote for Aryadan Shoukath. Aryadan Shoukath will win in the by-election...Nilambur by-election will be a mandate against Pinarayi Government..." Antony told the media.
Aryadan Shoukath also met with the senior Congress leader ahead of the polls.
On Friday, Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader VD Satheesan said that the upcoming Nilambur by-election would be treated as an opportunity to hold the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government accountable. He also confirmed that the first phase of the campaign work has been completed.
"We have already launched the election campaign, and our conventions are also going on... We will take it as an opportunity to prosecute the Pinarai government..." Satheesan told ANI.
He added that preparations began a month ago and that significant voter outreach had already been achieved.
"We have completed our first round of election work and started our preparation a month ago. A total of 10,000 voters are enrolled in the election, out of which we have enrolled 8000..." he further added.
The Nilambur by-election is scheduled for June 19, with counting to be held on June 23.
The election was necessitated following the resignation of PV Anvar, an LDF-backed MLA who stepped down in January after being appointed the Convenor of the Kerala unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Earlier, on May 25, Malappuram District Congress Committee (DCC) President VS Joy stated that the party's high command would finalise the candidate for the bypoll. Joy expressed confidence that the political climate in Malappuram heavily favoured the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
"The high command will decide the candidate. The candidate is merely a technicality. The atmosphere in Malappuram is such that anyone who becomes the candidate will win," Joy told reporters. (ANI)