Call of service takes Fr. Mathew Kandotharackal to poll front

A priest is contesting in the Iringole North ward in Rayamangalam

Another field: Father Mathew Kandotharackal canvassing votes at the Iringole north ward of the Rayamangalam panchayat.

Three decades after he was ordained a priest, Fr. Mathew Kandotharackal had another calling, listening to which he now finds himself in the hustle and bustle of the campaign for local body elections.

Fielded as the Left Democratic Front-backed candidate by the Scaria Thomas faction of the Kerala Congress in the Iringole North ward of the Rayamangalam panchayat, Fr. Kandotharackal has taken three months’ leave from his duties as a priest and plunged full time into electioneering.

Not new to politics

Though this is his maiden contest, politics is nothing new to the priest. He started off as a Kerala Student Union activist before moving on to Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) before joining the Kerala Congress.

Fr. Kandotharackal feels that crossing over from the Congress to the Left camp does not make him ideologically suspect or give him tough time convincing the electorate during campaigning. “Being loyal to the cause is all that matters,” he said.

He said that the urge to contribute to society was what prompted him to take the plunge into electoral politics.

“Every social being has a duty to intervene in societal issues for facilitating social justice and politics offers the best way to strive towards that end. The Left with its pro-poor and secular outlook seems ideal for fighting for the cause of the people,” said Fr. Kandotharackal.

Being a priest brings to his campaign table the advantage of already knowing a good section of the electorate. Fr. Kandotharackal is confident of juggling his roles as a priest and a people’s representative in the event of a victory.

Fr. Kandotharackal was serving as the vicar of Keezhilam Basilos Church when he took a break.