KOCHI: Three candidates contesting the byelection in Thrikkakara, including LDF candidate Dr Jo Joseph, UDF candidate Uma Thomas and independent T T Anilkumar, submitted nomination papers on Monday. Dr Jo was taken to the collectorate in a procession from Kakkanad junction. CPM district secretary C N Mohanan, CPI district secretary P Raju, Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani and CPM state secretariat member M Swaraj accompanied him. After submitting the papers to returning officer Vidhu A Menon, he went to Nechikkattukavu temple where he attended the feast. He also visited SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan at his residence in Kanichukulangara in the evening.
Uma visited veteran Congress leaders P P Thankachan and T H Mustafa before proceeding to the collectorate to file her nomination. MPs Hibi Eden, Jebi Mather and DCC president Mohammed Shiyas accompanied her. She arrived at the collectorate in a cycle rickshaw to register her protest against the fuel price hike.
She later visited CSI Kochi diocese bishop B N Fenin and sought his blessings. She also visited children at CSI Karunalayam special school. Later she visited Aluva Advaitashram and sought the blessings of Swami Dharma Chaitanya. In the evening she attended the UDF election convention. Former CM Oommen Chandy. Opposition leader V D Satheesan, state Congress president K Sudhakaran, ex-opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, Muslim League general secretary P K Kunhalikutty, Kerala Congress chairman P J Joseph, Kollam MP N K Premachandran and others were present. BJP candidate A N Radhakrishnan too visited Vellappally and sought his support. BJP state president K Surendran will lead the party campaign for the byelection.
Vellappally forecasts three-way duel
Alappuzha: A three-cornered contest will be in the offing in Thrikkakara, SNDP Yogam supremo Vellappally Natesan said on Monday. He told reporters at Kanichukulangara that Catholic Church is the centre of attraction in the byelection. Evading a reply on Yogam’s stand, he said, “the candidate with maximum votes will emerge victorious”.
KV to attend LDF bypoll meet with Pinarayi
Kochi: Dissident Congress leader K V Thomas has said he will share the dais with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the LDF’s election convention on Thursday, in what is an open revolt against his party’s leadership in Kerala. Thomas, who planned to hold a news conference on Monday to announce the plans, has rescheduled it to Wednesday.