Mamata Banerjee appoints former MLA PV Anvar as TMC's Kerala Coordinator; Is TMC targeting minority votes?
TMC leader Mamata Banerjee has appointed P.V. Anvar as the party's state coordinator for Kerala, aiming to strengthen the party's minority voter base in West Bengal amidst rising competition from the Congress-CPM alliance.
FollowTrinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to appoint former MLA P.V. Anvar as the Kerala coordinator of the TMC seems to be aimed more at consolidating the party’s vote bank in West Bengal than expanding its presence in Kerala. During public meetings in West Bengal, Mamata is likely to highlight the fact that even minority leaders from Kerala are joining the Trinamool, strengthening her outreach to minority voters in her state.
There are speculations that the party may attempt to leverage Mohua Moitra to influence the Indian Union Muslim League leadership and secure a seat for Anvar in Kerala.
P.V. Anvar was invited to join the Trinamool Congress by Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s second-in-command. However, there was no direct meeting between Anvar and Mamata Banerjee. While the TMC has had limited success in expanding beyond West Bengal, particularly in some northeastern states, their efforts in Goa fell short. In Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav agreed to offer the TMC only one seat.
In Kerala, appointing P.V. Anvar as the state coordinator seems to reflect the party’s modest ambition of securing at least one legislative assembly seat, despite the challenges of expanding its influence in the state.
The TMC appears to be addressing the threat posed to its minority vote bank in West Bengal by the Congress-CPM alliance in the upcoming elections. In this context, the inclusion of a minority leader from Kerala like P.V. Anwar in the party is a strategic move, aimed at sending a strong message to its base in Bengal.
Although Anvar has declared he will not contest elections, there is speculation that the TMC might leverage Mahua Moitra’s cordial ties with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leadership to negotiate his candidacy as part of the UDF alliance.
TMC leaders argue that the party’s strategy in Kerala mirrors its broader approach against the BJP, demonstrating its intent to fight the saffron party on all fronts. This approach further reinforces the party's claim of standing as a pan-Indian alternative to the BJP while securing its core vote bank.
Party leaders have clarified that no promises, including a Rajya Sabha seat, have been made to P.V. Anvar. In West Bengal, no Rajya Sabha seats are expected to become vacant before 2026. For now, the TMC’s entry into Kerala through Anvar is a tentative move, with no concrete plans finalized for further expansion in the state.
Given the setbacks faced in Goa, the party intends to proceed cautiously in Kerala, signaling a more calculated approach to its expansion strategy.
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