Kerala: Kerala Congress (M) dispute over Pala bypolls: P J Joseph fields candidate

KOTTAYAM: Political tactics ruled the last day of filing nominations for the Pala byelections on Wednesday. P J Joseph shocked the UDF as well as the Jose K Mani group by fielding his candidate at the last moment. Joseph also ensured that the UDF candidate Jose Tom Pulikkunnel doesn’t get the official symbol of the Kerala Congress (M)-‘two leaves’. Joseph, the seasoned politician, thus parted another blow to Jose K Mani after blocking the candidature of Nisha Jose K Mani earlier.
The rivalry between the Jose K Mani and Joseph groups in KC (M) after the death of its former chairman K M Mani has now reached its maximum.
All the drama unfolded with few minutes for 3pm, the deadline for filing nominations. While receiving the nomination of Jose Tom earlier in the day, the returning officer (RO) had asked him to submit a letter from P J Joseph if he wanted two leaves as his symbol. Jose had filed two sets of nominations as an independent candidate apart from filing nomination as the Kerala Congress (M) candidate.
As clock was nearing the crucial 3pm, Stephen George representing Jose K Mani submitted a letter to the RO to allot the two leaves symbol for Jose Tom. Soon P J Joseph’s private secretary Sudheesh Kaimal handed over a letter to the RO making it clear that the Kerala Congress (M) is fielding no candidates for the polls and therefore should not allot the party symbol to anybody else. A court order which stayed the election of Jose K Mani as the chairman of KC (M) and copy of the letter written by Joseph to the lection commission was also submitted along with the letter. By this time Joseph Kandathil, Joseph group leader, appeared with a set of nomination papers. Kandathil was accompanied by the Joseph group leaders in Pala. By now the time was almost 3pm and the returning officer directed Kandathil to enter his room and wait for his turn to file nomination. Later on Kandathil denied that he was a 'rebel' candidate and said that he was only a 'dummy' candidate for Jose Tom. However, Jose Tom already had another dummy candidate which strengthened the 'rebel' candidature of Kandathil. Kandathil has also said that he will withdraw his nominations once the nomination of Jose Tom is accepted after scrutiny. The last day for withdrawing nominations is on September 7.
The day’s developments can only be seen as an ego clash between Jose and Joseph. Joseph had earlier announced that he will not allot two leaves for Jos Tom who had said that he was an independent UDF candidate. Joseph had also informed Jose K Mani through the UDF leadership that he will allot two leaves symbol only if Jose writes a letter to him approving him as the chairman of the party. However, Jose refused to bow before Joseph.
The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on Thursday. Based on the indications from the election commission, Jose Tom is unlikely to get the official symbol of KC (M). He has sought either pine apple, football or auto rickshaw as his symbols in the nomination filed as an independent. Now it remains to be seen whether Kandathil keeps his word of withdrawing the candidature once the Jose Tom’s nominations is cleared.