KOCHI: Jain Joseph had a surprise call from Upendra Das Mukundan, the CPI local leader of Piravom to contest in the LSG polls from the town ward. Joseph, a 40-year-old taxi driver was not discouraged when he was told that his opponent was Sabu K Jacob of Congress, who was the grama panchayat president. Making his surprise bigger was CPM workers’ willingness to work for him. “CPI has limited workers in the area. So we decided to help Jain in campaigning,” said Thankachan and Soman of the CPM. Joseph supported the initiative.
“What matters is not winning but giving a good fight. In a race if there is only one to compete how can he get first place.”
Joseph has no previous history of contesting in election and according to party workers it was his popularity that made the CPI to field him. CPM booth secretary Kunhu Kunhu, a party worker from 1968 said: “We have to win the seat. Nothing else matters.” The previous 7th ward became 9th ward in the election when Piravom was upgraded as municipality.