On Monday, PV Anvar launched a new political party and proposed the formation of 15th district in Kerala
In a major development in the political scenario of Kerala, LDF-backed independent MLA PV Anvar has floated a new party called Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK). Announcing it on Sunday, there is huge debate going on in the state, especially over the 15th district plan of dividing Malappuram and Kozhikode as proposed by Anvar. The district division plan and his all-out severe attacks on the police and the political class both point to a bold new beginning in the politics of Kerala.
Anvar’s Dream: Overpopulation and Governance Issue
On the day of his party launch, Anvar paid very much heed to the issue of overpopulation in Malappuram and Kozhikode. He asserted that growing at such a speed, population is mortifying the administration, which therefore causes an inefficient implementation of schemes in government.
“Malappuram’s population has grown exponentially, from 14 lakhs to 45 lakhs,” said Anvar, pointing out the challenge of handling such huge numbers. He said the district housed more people than the total population of Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, and Idukki put together. Even Kozhikode was facing similar problems, which in turn hampered efficient delivery of public services.
Anvar has suggested that this is the only way forward: bifurcating the two districts, with yet another new 15th district for Kerala. He mooted the idea of grouping the southern part of Kozhikode with the northern part of Malappuram as an administrative unit that would be manageable. The proposer was also making pleas for in-depth studies and public consultations on this idea for it to be workable.
Proposal for the 15th District: A New Approach to Decentralization
The making of a new district is an important policy initiative and was felt by PV Anvar to be the need of the hour to have better governance and better service delivery. Malappuram has faced overcrowding in districts like it, resulting in administrative problems, since it does not have adequate infrastructure to take care of the increasing population.
Yet, Anvar averred that all those issues could be solved with the simple decentralization of administration and reduction of the bureaucratic burden of the district. Smaller districts would enable the efficient implementation of government schemes, such as healthcare, education, and housing projects, by him.
He further observed that this would make better representation of the people from the region in the state and national affairs. He believes that the government will better tailor policies designed to affect them if large districts are reduced in size.
While this proposal has garnered much importance, it would be amusing to see if the state government will make a move in this direction. That would involve large-scale studies along with dialogue with experts, politicians, and the public.
Praise for MK Stalin and Ideals of DMK
National politics figured at center stage, and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin and his party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, had no hesitation in extolling that it is a single political party in India with strong and unflinching commitment towards democratic, socialist, and secular values.
“The DMK is a beacon of progressive politics in India,” declared Anvar as he wondered how other states could emulate it in its inclusiveness in governance and the sheer secular credentials. He saw Stalin catapult Tamil Nadu onto the growth trajectory for economic development with democratic principles, which many states lacked.
His celebration of Stalin and ideas of the DMK suggest that Anvar’s new party will have much more of the same ideology–secularism, socialism, and one’s emphasis on equitable development. At a time when political polarization is increasing, his standpoint on these issues could outreach to a tremendous portion of Kerala voters.
Controversy: False Allegations Against Senior Policemen
PV Anvar did not seem hesitant to stir up controversy while outlining his political vision. He even accused several senior police officers, among them ADGP Law and Order MR Ajith Kumar, of having RSS connections. According to Anvar, the alleged connections with the RSS were the primary reasons for his choice to distance himself from the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front.
Such accusations indicate an incompatibility between him and the state law-enforcement machinery, which he alleges is dictated by right-wing forces. Such allegations have not gone unnoticed, with many speculating that the anvar exit from LDF was on account of deep disagreements regarding the handling of law and order in the state.
This has invited sharp criticism, particularly from CPI(M), which is also the major force in LDF. Coming to the defence of the government, CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan implicated Anvar of being a “tool for the opposition” pointing fingers at destabilizing the Left government in Kerala with his new party and the criticisms launched by him.
Reactions of CPI(M) and Opposition Parties
The establishment of the Democratic Movement of Kerala has caused shockwaves in the political camps of Kerala. Evidently, CPI(M) is sore about the development as it had earlier endorsed Anvar as an Independent candidate. MV Govindan’s statement that Anvar was acting as a tool of the opposition reflects the CPI(M) anxiety that the new party may split the vote base of LDF, particularly in Malappuram and Kozhikode.
On the other side of the argument, however, the opposition parties in Kerala have made little noise regarding Anvar’s new party, though some would interpret this as a good step for them to take away from the Left its dominance in the key districts. Only time will tell if Anvar’s party will be a political game-changer, but his emphasis on administrative reform and population control is surely going to be a siren song for many of the voters in the area.
Conclusion: A New Political Force in Kerala
Now, with Democratic Movement of Kerala under the banner of PV Anvar, opening the chapter of the way to this destination for the state of Kerala. His assertion of a 15th district coupled with sharp critiques of police and political establishments have already turned some eyeballs. Now as the election rounds up its last round in Kerala, Anvar’s party has good chances of gaining ground in particular in Malappuram and Kozhikode.
Whether his decentralization and administrative reforms proposals will find a wider resonance, only time will tell, but this much is certain: PV Anvar is going to create ripples in the state’s Kerala political atmosphere. His appreciation for the DMK’s democratic and secular values is a pointer to the ideological course that his party is likely to take, assuming the mantle of a progressive alternative at the state level.
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