Kochi: UDF's Uma Thomas of the Congress party dedicated her thumping victory in Thrikkakara bypoll to her late husband and former MLA PT Thomas.
"I dedicate this historic victory to PT," she said while also adding that the contest was never between her and fellow candidate Joe Joseph, but instead against CPM strongman CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Since the formation of the constituency in 2011, Thrikkakara has seen three elections, all won by Congress. Uma, with a record margin of 25,016 votes (the last best was 22,329 votes margin for Benny Behanan in 2011), has 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.
With this win, UDF has also increased the representation of its women in the Assembly. KK Rema is the other UDF legislator.
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.
Reacting to the poll outcome, Congress Ernakulam district president Mohammed Shiyas said the verdict is a fitting reply to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had appeased communal elements to win the bypoll.
On the other hand, CPM Ernakulam district secretary C N Mohanan told the media the verdict was unexpected.
"CPM was not expecting a defeat in the Thrikkakara by-election. The problem was not with the selection of the candidate. We had identified the issues of the Thrikkakara residents and operated accordingly. Unfortunately, the mandate did not go in our favour. We shall examine the reason for the loss," Mohanan said.
Mohan also refuted the charge the UDF victory is a setback to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who spearheaded the campaign in the constituency.
"The Chief Minister did not lead the election campaign. The District committee led the campaign. The results are not a verdict on the LDF reign in Kerala. It is merely a mandate delivered by a constituency in Kerala," he said.
