Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran said a family member of late former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will contest in the bypoll at Puthupally.
He was addressing the media on Sunday.
The KPCC chief opened up about the UDF candidate in Puthupally as the constituency is gearing up for a bypoll following the demise of Oommen Chandy.
The KPCC chief pointed out that a decision on the UDF candidate in Puthupally will be taken only after holding talks with Oommen Chandy's family.
Chandy Oommen should succeed Oommen Chandy: Cherian Philip
Meanwhile, Congress leader Cherian Philip said Chandy Oommen, son of the late Congress leader, should succeed him in Puthuppally. Talking to Manorama news, he noted that 38-year-old Chandy Oommen started his political career at a young age.
In a Facebook post, Philip said Chandy Oommen was qualified in every way to replace the late Congress leader as he understood the Congress culture, how his father worked and became the leader of the Youth Congress at the national and state level through his own hardwork and ability.
Chandy Oommen had also walked many kilometers barefoot in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Philip said. Regarding Achu Oommen, he said that she had left active politics after getting married and that her sister was politically conscious from a young age. Therefore, if they decide to enter politics, at a time when women are getting opportunities in this field, the Congress party and its workers will be ready to welcome them.
At the same time, in his post, Philip also said that Chandy was not in favour of his children being part of active politics and was of the view that one member from the family was enough.
Candidate will be announced soon: K Muraleedharan
Congress leader and MP K Muraleedharan said in Kozhikode that once a by-election is announced for the Puthuppally seat, the party's candidate would be decided immediately and there would be no arguments or disputes regarding the selection.
On being asked by reporters whether the candidate would be a member of Chandy's family as was being suggested by many Congress workers, Muraleedharan said the party will take everything into account while making its decision.
P K Kunhalikutty, the National General Secretary of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), too said that there would be no problems in deciding a candidate for the by-election.
"Puthuppally and Kerala deserve continuity of the same standards set by Oommen Chandy. The Congress party will decide who should represent the constituency and there will be no issues with that decision. There will be no dispute over the candidate selected by the party," he said. Oommen Chandy, who served as the chief minister of Kerala twice, breathed his last in a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday. His end came while undergoing treatment for cancer, party sources said. He was 79.
CM to inaugurate KPCC's Oommen Chandy remembrance meet
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) will organise an event to commemorate late former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at Ayyankali Hall here on July 24, Monday. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the remembrance meeting at 4 pm.
Manorama News reported that Pinarayi Vijayan has accepted the invitation from KPCC on Sunday.
KPCC president K Sudhakaran will preside over the programme.
(With PTI inputs)
