Kottayam: Opposition Leader V D Satheesan on Sunday said that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has set itself a ‘dream-like target’ for the September 5 Puthuppally assembly bypoll.
The Congress leader, who oversaw the UDF’s campaign for the bypoll necessitated by the death of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, however, refused to predict Chandy Oommen’s possible victory margin.
“I’m a bit afraid to predict a number, because I’m sure the actual figure would go above that. Then you would call me a miser,” Satheesan told reporters at a press meet at the UDF’s election office in Pambady. He met the media on the final day of the open campaign for the bypoll.
“We have assessed the situation in the constituency and the election work we have done. We are fully confident that we will get massive support from the people beyond political, caste and religious lines,” he said.
Satheesan reiterated the UDF’s charge that the rival CPM-led Left front was indulged in a malicious campaign against Oommen Chandy and his family even after the party’s state leaders said they would not entertain it.
Asked if the UDF was pinning its hopes on the purported sympathy wave caused by Oommen Chandy’s death, Satheesan said; “I don’t know if sympathy wave is the right word to be used. The love and bonding Oommen Chandy had with the people of the constituency will reflect in the bypoll for sure. Oommen Chandy remains a reality among the people. Nobody can erase his memories,” he said.
Satheesan said the bypoll result will be a verdict against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government. “The entire Kerala is waiting for a chance to vote against the LDF. When the people of Puthuppally go to the polling booths, they will be going as the representatives of the rest of Kerala,” he said.
He said the UDF had succeeded in highlighting the wrong tendencies of the state and central governments during the campaigning.
The Congress leader said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was still keeping mum on the allegations against him and his family despite addressing election rallies in two phases.
Citing the CBI court approving the central agency’s clean chit to Oommen Chandy in a sexual abuse case relating to the solar scam, Satheesan asked the chief minister and his party to apologise to the late leader and his family for running a malicious campaign against him.
The bypoll result will be out on September 8.
