KOCHI: The ruling CPI(M) on Thursday decided to field well-known cardiologist Dr Jo Joseph as the LDF nominee from the vacant Thrikkakara Assembly seat, where a high voltage contest is expected between the traditional rival fronts in the upcoming by-poll on May 31.
An established medical doctor presently working in a private hospital in the city, Joseph is a Left sympathiser and a known figure in Kochi's socio-cultural scenario.
The opposition Congress-led UDF had already chosen Uma Thomas, widow of late party leader and MLA P T Thomas, as its nominee for the Thrikkakara seat, which fell vacant after the demise of the latter in December last year.
Announcing Joseph's candidature at a press conference here, senior CPI(M) leader and LDF convenor E P Jayarajan said only the name of the young doctor was considered for the seat and added that he would be contesting on the party's official symbol itself.
Jayarajan expressed happiness that the party could choose a good candidate, who did not need any introduction to the people of the constituency and said the CPI(M)-led front could achieve a resounding victory in the upcoming polls.
"We are approaching people seeking their vote for the comprehensive development of Kerala," Jayarajan said. He also criticised the media for "wrongly" giving reports about the party's candidate.
A section of media on Wednesday reported that young leader K S Arunkumar, a member of the CPI(M) district committee and a former office-bearer of the ruling party's youth outfit DYFI, had been chosen as the candidate for Thrikkakara.
The reports also claimed that the decision was taken by the Marxist party's Ernakulam district committee.
"We have never said any other name. It was you (the media) who cooked up false reports. How can you give false news like this as breaking news without any confirmation," the senior leader asked.
If retaining the sitting seat was a do-or-die battle for the Congress, winning Thrikkakara was seen as a fight for pride by the CPI(M) in the wake of the party-led government facing intense criticism from various quarters regarding the implementation of its flagship Silver Line rail corridor project.
The LDF already launched its campaign via social media platforms seeking to increase its tally to 100 by winning the constituency.
As the ruling and opposition parties announced the candidates, the BJP-NDA and the AAP are also expected to announce their nominees soon for the May 31 polls.
The Congress-led UDF, to ensure its numbers in the assembly is not reduced, on Tuesday decided to field Thomas' widow in an apparent bid to bank on her late husband's popularity and the sentiments connected to his death.
However, the party leaders who were not happy with the selection of a nominee from outside the party-fold, seemed to be a headache for its poll prospects in Thrikkakara.
Senior leader and former AICC member K V Thomas, who was recently stripped of all party positions by the AICC as part of a disciplinary action, already said his support would be for developmental politics in the May 31 polls.
When asked about his close relationship with the late P T Thomas' family and the present candidate Uma Thomas, he said poll politics and personal relationship are different matters.
"We cannot compromise on development matters like K-Rail. The state is facing severe transportations issues. In view of this, there are things more important than personal relationships. Election is a thing closely related to people and their development. So, naturally, my stand will be that of development politics," Thomas said on Wednesday.
However, Uma, who launched his campaign by paying respects at Thomas' grave and taking part in a church prayer on Wednesday, said K V Thomas would not take a stand against her. She also criticised the Left government's proposed SilverLine project during the campaign.