Congress fields Selvaraj in Neyyattinkara assembly by-poll

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The Congress in Kerala has declared renegade CPI (M) leader R. Selvaraj as its candidate for the upcoming assembly by-election in Neyyattinkara. Selvaraj, a two-time MLA, was also inducted into the Congress at an election convention in Neyyattinkara near here on Wednesday. He was given the ‘Hand' symbol to contest the byelection.


Selvaraj had resigned as MLA in March and also quit the CPM complaining of infighting in the party. His resignation necessitated the by-poll, which is seen by the Congress-led UDF as an opportunity to improve its position in the state assembly. The UDF has a wafer-thin majority of 72 seats in the 140-member assembly.


The 'caste factor' plays a major role in Neyyattinkara assembly constituency, located close to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. Selvaraj, a Latin Catholic Nadar, might face a tough challenge from his rival F Lawrence, a CPM-backed independent. Lawrence belongs to the CSI Nadar community which is the largest vote bank in the constituency. In the 2011 assembly elections, Selvaraj won with a slender margin of 6702 votes from Neyyattinkara.


Despite the odds, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is hopeful of a victory for the UDF in Neyattinkara "We will repeat the Piravom (assembly by-poll) victory in Neyyattinkara," Chandy said on Wednesday when asked about the UDF's chances.


The resignation of Selvaraj in March had triggered a controversy with the Left accusing the UDF of "buying over" its legislator. Veteran CPM leader V S Achuthanandan had accused Chief Minister Oommen Chandy of engineering Selvaraj's resignation - a charge Chandy vehemently denied.