KOCHI/T’PURAM: In a major boost to the LDF camp, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will join its poll campaign in Thrikkakara on Thursday inaugurating the front’s election convention. Congress veteran K V Thomas will be among those on the dais at the meet. This will be Pinarayi’s first public meeting after his return from the US where he had gone for treatment. Thomas’s presence at the event is being projected by the LDF as a big vote of confidence on the ruling front’s development agenda.
Thomas, who addressed a news conference at his Thoppumpady residence in Kochi, said he would attend the election convention for Dr Jo Joseph but reiterated that he would not quit the Congress. “I am always a Congressman. I will neither quit the Congress, nor join any other party. I will attend the LDF’s poll campaign as a Congress worker,” he said.
The veteran leader said he would also take part in other programmes of the Left campaign for the bypoll. “I am a person who always takes a stand for development. In Thrikkakara also my stand is the same. The victory or defeat of the LDF candidate will not make any change in my pro-development stand,” he said.The state Congress leadership seems to be ignoring Thomas so as to avoid giving him unnecessary publicity. But the Left leaders welcomed the former central minister’s decision saying it’s a vote for the ruling front’s “development politics”.
Congress disciplinary committee chairman A K Antony, who had earlier taken a calculated move against Thomas by ensuring that he remained in the party without any position, told TNIE on Wednesday that Thomas’s latest move of “keeping his feet in two boats” will only harm the Left candidate.
“There is no marriage going on there” was Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan’s response when asked why Thomas was not invited for the Congress’s election meetings. KPCC President K Sudhakaran said Thomas is irrelevant and his change in allegiance would not make any difference as far as the UDF is concerned.LDF Convenor E P Jayarajan said the front is happy to have Thomas in the poll campaign. “Thomas is coming to campaign for the LDF based on his conviction that we stand for development,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress national general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal has passed the buck to the state leadership to recommend action against Thomas. It is learnt that the Congress leadership has decided to avoid action against him until the Thrikkakara byelection on May 31.