Congress goals to money in on ‘PT Thomas’ issue, fields spouse Uma for Thrikkakara bypoll

By Express News Service

KOCHI: For the primary time in its historical past in Kerala, Congress has zeroed in on its candidate inside 24 hours after the ballot announcement. Uma Thomas, spouse of the late PT Thomas whose demise necessitated byelection in Thrikkakara, would be the occasion candidate.

The Congress excessive command cleared Uma’s candidature for the May 31 bypoll on Tuesday night after the occasion’s state unit unanimously advisable her title.

The swift transfer helped the occasion take the first-mover benefit within the election. By selecting 56-year-old Uma, Congress is hoping to money in on the sympathy triggered by the demise of Thomas, who was typically hailed because the ‘man of convictions’.

Thomas who was fondly known as ‘PT’ by occasion staff, had introduced up many issues regarding his constituency together with environmental points within the state meeting. Within seven months of his second time period, he handed away in December 2021.

“I took up this responsibility to complete the missions started up by PT, who was often hailed as prince of convictions,” Uma instructed reporters at her residence in Kochi on Tuesday.

Uma Thomas’ candidacy: Dominic Presentation airs dissenting voice

“The party has unanimously announced my name. PT was an obedient party leader and our family always stood by the party decisions. I am grateful to the Congress party as it has extended all support to our family after the demise of PT,” she stated.

Uma just isn’t a brand new face in politics. She was a KSU chief at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. She all the time accompanied Thomas in his a number of marketing campaign trails in Thodupuzha and Thrikkakara meeting constituencies and Idukki parliament constituency.

Though Uma’s candidature regarded a easy affair, there have been minor hiccups. UDF district chairman and former minister Dominic Presentation aired a dissenting voice saying Congress ought to choose candidate after contemplating the social equation and never the sympathy issue.

However, senior chief Oommen Chandy talked to him on telephone and pacified him. Asked about her probabilities if CPM fielded a robust occasion candidate in contrast to independents previously, UMA stated UDF is able to face any candidate politically.

When instructed that veteran Congress chief KV Thomas’s assertion that he’ll “campaign in the bypoll for developement”, Uma stated if that is the case he would stand with Congress because it was the occasion that initiatied a number of growth programmes in Ernakulam.

“KV Thomas will support us as he cannot work against me. I will meet all senior leaders including Thomas and seek their blessings,” she stated, including that her marketing campaign has already begun.