KV Thomas the target of Congress ridicule as Uma romps home

KV Thomas

Kochi: Former state and union minister KV Thomas, who was recently ousted from the Congress for backsliding on party norms, was the butt of jokes on Friday after party candidate Uma Thomas registered a thumping victory in the Thrikkakara bypoll election despite LDF's all-out campaign.

Congress supporters took to the streets burning his effigies and tearing caricature photos of him, all the while chanting that the victory here was a clear setback to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his ambitious SilverLine railway project.

A group had also attempted to march to Thomas' house but were stopped by the police resulting in shoves and pushes.

Police has now deployed more forces outside the leader's house.

Thomas was ousted from the grand old party after he took part in an LDF convention in the days leading up to the election and proclaimed his support for Left candidate and Uma's rival, Dr Jo Joseph.

Thomas, who was welcomed to the LDF convention with a standing ovation, went even further by throwing his support for the contentious SilverLine project.

Even before the convention, he had invited the wrath of the Congress leadership - both of the state and at the national level - for attending a seminar organised by the CPM violating a Congress diktat.

Thomas' relationship with Congress strained after he was denied a seat to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

During the UDF campaigning this time, though the CPM termed KV Thomas' distancing from his former party as a sign of the latter's disrepair, UDF leaders mocked the very idea by likening Thomas' moves to the vagaries of the weather.

Now, after their defeat, the CPM, it seems, has fallen on KV Thomas once again to use the mounting criticism that he now faces to throw shade at the Congress.

Rahim condemns Congress for ridiculing Thomas

Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim on Friday condemned protests against Thomas. He said this victory does not embolden the Congress to deface their former leader.

"It seems the victory in Thrikkakara has emboldened the Congress to heap bigoted charges," said Rahim, who is also the president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

"If you must fight KV, fight him politically," Rahim said. He also warned Congress to not take Uma's victory in Thrikkakara as a sign that support for the Left is on the decline.

"The Thrikkakara constituency was formed just to benefit the UDF. It's no surprise then that they have won again," Rahim said.

"This is a victory won on emotions. Not politics. Congress won on the idea of PT Thomas. They may have won Thrikkakara, but Kerala remains to be won still," Rahim added.

Thrikkakara, a Congress bastion

Since the formation of the constituency in 2011, Thrikkakara has seen three elections, all won by Congress. Twice by PT Thomas - in 2016, 2021.

Uma Thomas, with a record margin of 25,016 votes (the last best was 22,329 votes for Benny Behanan in 2011), continued that trend, cementing the idea that Thrikkakara is indeed a Congress bastion.

Out of the 239 booths here, the LDF were in the lead in just 21 - less than 10 per cent.

The by-election was held in the wake of the death of Congress legislator P T Thomas.

Congress had fielded Uma Thomas, the wife of the late legislator. The Left candidate was cardiologist Dr Joe Joseph of the CPM. The BJP was also in the fray with its seasoned leader A N Radhakrishnan as the candidate.

Out of 1.96 lakh voters, 1.35 lakh had cast their votes pegging the polling percentage at 68.77 per cent. The voter turnout for the bypoll was the lowest it has seen.

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