india

Updated: Sep 02, 2019 17:28 IST

After weeklong drama the Kerala Congress (Mani) has decided to field senior leader Jose Tom Pulikunnel in crucial Pala assembly constituency but party chairman P J Joseph is yet to give symbol to him saying he was not consulted.

Joseph stuck to his stand that the party symbol, two leaves, will be allotted to a candidate accepted by all.

The by-election is necessitated in Pala in Kottayam district following the death of Kerala Congress (Mani) leader K M Mani who represented the constituency from 1965 and retained it till his death in April this year.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front is worried over the state of affairs in Kerala Congress, third largest partner in the UDF after Congress and Muslim League. Trouble started in the party after the death of K M Mani. His son Jose K Mani, Rajya Sabha MP, had anointed himself as the new chairman antagonizing a prominent faction led by former minister P J Joseph who was the vice-chairman of the party.

Initially, Jose K Mani wanted his wife Nisha Jose to be fielded from the traditional seat but Joseph opposed it strongly and favoured a consensus candidate. Joseph’s opposition negated Nisha’s chances but Jose K Mani retaliated by naming the candidate on his own without consulting Joseph. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala are working overtime to ensure the party symbol for Pulikunnel.

The state chief electoral officer Tikaram Meena has made it clear that if Pulikunnel won’t get the party symbol he will have to contest as an independent candidate. Political observers say such a situation will prove detrimental to him.

The ruling LDF has fielded Nationalist Congress Party leader Mani C Kappan who lost to K M Mani in last three elections. The BJP led NDA is yet to announce its candidate. In the last election, BJP candidate N Hari had managed around 25,000 votes and K M Mani’s winning margin was around 5000 votes.

Stakes are high for three major players in Pala. For the ruling front it is an opportunity to avenge the humiliating defeat in Lok Sabha poll in which it lost all but one of 20 seats. And for the UDF it is a prestigious fight to keep memories of its tall leader alive and the front wants to keep its winning streak. An also-ran in state politics, the BJP also threw its hat in the ring hoping to make some presence