The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is expected to announce its candidate for the Nilambur by-election this Friday.

A state secretariat meeting will be held to deliberate on potential nominees. The final decision will be made after consultations with the party leadership in Malappuram, and the selected candidate will be formally announced in Thiruvananthapuram. Party insiders reveal that while the CPM initially leaned towards fielding one of its own leaders, the strategy has now shifted. The leadership is looking to nominate someone capable of attracting wider support, especially in the wake of political shifts within the UDF following P V Anvar’s exit from the Congress fold.

Although CPM state secretariat member M Swaraj was once a strong contender, the party ultimately prioritised a candidate who could resonate with a broader base — including non-leftist and community-oriented voters.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan confirmed that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is still in discussions to finalise its candidate for the Nilambur bypoll and that an announcement will be made shortly.

When asked about the process, Pinarayi noted that the CPM-led alliance typically selects its candidates after the official election notification. Responding to a question about Trinamool Congress leader P V Anvar, the Chief Minister said, “The less said about him, the better,” adding that Anvar has been rejected by everyone.