KOCHI: The Church-supported Catholic Congress is all set to field its Independent candidates, alleging that both the Left and Right Fronts neglected the community while selecting candidates for the Assembly election, though Syro-Malabar Church head Mar George Cardinal Alencherry categorically stated that the church had no party politics.
If the Catholic Congress fields Independent candidates, Christian votes in the Ernakulam district - at least in three constituencies -are likely to get divided.
The Church plans to field candidates in the constituencies of Tripunithura, Thrikkakara, Paravoor, Ernakulam, Aluva and Angamaly. Of these, Catholic Congress-supported Independents may contest at least in three constituencies, including Tripunithura and Thrikkakara.
“While the plan is to field Independent candidates at least in three constituencies, it will be decided at the next meeting as to in which constituencies candidates would be fielded. Both the Fronts ignored the voter strength of the Syro-Malabar Community, which has 50 lakh members across the State. There are six lakh voters under Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese alone,” said Ernakulam- Angamaly Archdiocese committee president Sebastian Vadassery.
The other communities were given due consideration by the two Fronts, while they totally neglected the Syro-Malabar community. Besides, in an apparent insult to the community, the Congress even dared to field leaders who frequently ridiculed the Church in Christian-majority areas,” it was observed at a meeting of Catholic Congress leaders held in Kochi the other day.
Leaders who attended the meeting urged the community members to vote according to their conscience. “It is the responsibility of every citizen to vote for candidates who stand for development, abstention from liquor and moral values. We have to identify such persons,” the leaders urged the community members.