High political drama in Kerala over bypoll candidate

Kerala witnessed a high voltage political drama on Thursday with an Assembly bypoll candidate of the Kerala Congress (M) being denied the status of an official candidate by the election officials.

The officials decided this after objections were raised by the rival faction of the party, which is a key coalition partner of the Congress.

But, hardly an hour, the rival party leader announced their "wholehearted support" to the official candidate at a public meeting.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had earlier announced Jose Tom Pulikunnel as KC(M) candidate for the upcoming bypoll to Pala constituency, which was being held by KC(M) founder-leader K M Mani over the last 54 years until his death in April.

The rival faction led by party working chairman P J Joseph refused to accept Jose Tom, who is a loyalist of the faction led by K M Mani's son and Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani.

Joseph, whose loyalist submitted a nomination on Wednesday, also raised objection in considering Jose Tom as KC(M) official candidate.

On Thursday, the election officials rejected Jose Tom's nomination as KC(M) official candidate and denied him party's symbol 'two-leaves' citing the objection raised by Joseph, who is also the party chairman as per the norms.

However, hardly an hour later, Joseph announced at an election convention of the UDF for Jose Tom that he would extend all support to him.

The Joseph loyalist who filed a parallel nomination on Thursday had also withdrawn it.

Joseph also expressed hope that the present differences between him and Jose K Mani, which is mainly over the party chairman post, would be sorted out soon.