THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The stunning victory of UDF candidate Uma Thomas in Thrikkakara has elevated leader of Opposition VD Satheesan to the number one slot in the front. Soon after the results, Congress leaders started to brand him as the ‘real captain’, taking a jibe at ‘captain’ of the LDF Government, Pinarayi Vijayan. The well-executed campaigning against K-Rail and communalism by Satheesan and his close confidant and Ernakulam district Congress chief Mohammed Shiyaz are believed to have laid the foundation for the impressive win.
When state Congress president K Sudhakaran, who was also in the forefront of the campaign had to take a break owing to ill health, the entire responsibility of planning and leading the campaign fell on Satheesan. This is the first major victory for the state Congress leadership after K Sudhakaran and Satheesan took over the reins last year.
The decision of the LDF to deploy all ministers and the CM for campaign prompted the Congress to mobilise hundreds of local leaders from different districts and actively engage in door-to-door campaigning. On his part, Satheesan led an offensive campaign by attacking the LDF and the chief minister with issues on a daily basis. The district leadership meticulously planned ground-level activities. Even the list of absentee voters were prepared ahead of polls and shared with booth agents to check any bogus voting.
“The outcome of the by-election reveals that the CPM party workers have dared to show their opposition against the leadership. This thumping victory has given us the confidence to work hard for the next Lok Sabha elections,” Satheesan told TNIE. The state party headquarters, IndiraBhavan, which was in a sleep mode over the last few months sported a festive look on Friday, with cake cutting under the aegis of senior Congress leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala. Sudhakaran, who was in overall charge of the campaigning, went to the extent of demanding Pinarayi’s resignation. MP K Muraleedharan said the ramifications to be faced by the CPM are manifold.