The Kerala Congress (Jacob) has decided to field Anoop Jacob, son of the late T.M. Jacob, as its candidate from the Piravom Assembly constituency. But the party is not going to get its way with regard to a ministerial berth in the Oommen Chandy Cabinet ahead of the byelection.
A leadership meeting of the party held here on Thursday took the decision to field the young Jacob. The stand of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala , United Democratic Front (UDF) convener P.P. Thankachan , Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and other leaders that the KC(Jacob) is entitled to the Piravom seat made it easier for the party leadership to wrap up a quick decision. A delegation of the KC (Jacob), led by chairman Johnny Nellore, met senior UDF leaders, including Mr. Chandy, Mr. Chennithala, and Mr. Thankachan, informing them of their party's decision to field Jacob's son, besides putting up a formal request for inducting its nominee in the State Cabinet ahead of the byelection.
The UDF's official position was that a collective decision would be required to decide on the induction of the KC (Jacob) nominee in the Cabinet, but it was conveyed to the party leaders informally that it was difficult to concede such a demand now.
The KC(Jacob) did not press for it even though it made a formal request in this regard.
Mr. Nellore told The Hindu that it was for the UDF leadership to take a call on induction of the party's nominee in the Cabinet. His party did not want to take a stand that would mar the image of the ruling coalition. “Our objective is to win the Piravom seat and strengthen the UDF in the process. The electorate of Piravom had given a five-year mandate to T.M. Jacob, which went unfulfilled. Therefore, we are particular in selecting a candidate who, besides commanding the love and respect of everyone, is capable of fulfilling the late leader's wishes,” he said.
According to sources, the UDF leadership took a stand against inducting the KC(Jacob) nominee in the Ministry on the basis of past experience. “We have conceded the party's claim to contest the seat and it naturally follows that the party nominate its candidate. However, the onus is on the party to win the seat and the UDF would extend all support because a win is imperative for the coalition,” a senior UDF leader said.
Mr. Nellore said that the UDF leaders had informed him that the issue of inducting a Minister needed to be discussed in detail, particularly the pros and cons of contesting an election as a Minister.
