KOCHI: The political slugfest, which followed the CPM’s introduction of Dr Jo Joseph as the candidate for the Thrikkakara assembly bypoll at the Church-run Lisie Hospital, has taken an interesting turn. Three days on, the CPM pushed the Opposition UDF on the back foot with the charge of “dragging the Syro-Malabar Church into the election debate”. The Congress sensed danger, with senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala and Dominic Presentation clarifying the party has never said Joseph is a nominee of the Church.
“The CPM is dragging the Church into the poll debate to divert the discussion from real issues like SilverLine and the government’s overall failure. The Congress never said that Dr Jo Joseph is a candidate of the Church. The Congress is fighting the election politically and we want to discuss the real issues. The CPM tactics will be exposed,” said Presentation.
However, at a press meet in Kochi, Industries Minister P Rajeeve repeated the charge against the UDF and added it is the Left front’s right to select the most appropriate candidate. “The Congress is trying to humiliate the Church by dragging it into the election debate. They have also been trying to slander Lisie Hospital. The LDF announced its candidate at a press meet at Lenin Centre.
I went to the hospital along with other leaders to inform Jo Joseph about the decision. However, the media arrived at the hospital ahead of us. When we reached, Jo Joseph was talking to the media and we joined him. The hospital director, who is also a priest, did not make any political statement,” said Rajeeve.
Rajeeve, not UDF, who dragged the Church into poll debate: Satheesan
Hours later, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan too met mediapersons and claimed it was Rajeeve, not the UDF, who dragged the Church into the poll debate. He alleged the LDF made an attempt to create an impression that Jo Joseph is a candidate of the Church. “It was the mediapersons who asked the CPM leaders whether Jo Joseph is a candidate of the Church. The CPM is trying to shift the blame on us,” he said. The UDF suspects that the CPM is trying to remind the Church and the believers of the standoff it had with the late MLA P T Thomas. The LDF has sensed that the byelection in Thrikkakara is a rare opportunity to achieve the magic number of 100 in the state assembly. Besides, a victory in Thrikkakara can be highlighted as an endorsement for the SilverLine semi high-speed project, which is facing stiff resistance from the Opposition parties.
Though Thrikkakara is considered as a safe seat, the byelection is a do-or-die battle for the Congress as another defeat would further demoralise the party cadre and may lead to the disintegration of the UDF. More than the LDF, the Congress fears the Twenty20 and the AAP, who plan to field a joint candidate, might eat into their vote share. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to campaign for AAP-Twenty20 candidate. The Congress, and its new state leadership, cannot afford to lose.
2021 ELECTION @ THRIKKAKARA
P T Thomas (Cong) 59,839
Dr J Jacob (LDF ind) 45,510
Dr Terry Thomas (Twenty20) 13,897
S Saji (BJP) 15,483