It's SFI greenhorn against veteran in Puthupally

Kottayam: Figuratively, it will be a fight between David and Goliath, but in reality the SFI ‘David’ may find it too tough to take on the Congress ‘Goliath’ of Puthupally.

Jaick C. Thomas, 25,  SFI state president, whom the CPM has chosen to fight  against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in Puthupally, will certainly gain electoral experience, but the final outcome is anybody’s guess as Mr Chandy has proved himself unbeatable   in his pocket borough since 1970.   

Jaick  emerged as a student leader with  the strike conducted by the SFI in  CMS College, Kottayam, in 2010 protesting  against the syllabus restructuring of the BA communicative English course.

Jaick was suspended and later dismissed from the college. However, he was allowed to write the exams after an agreement was reached  with the MG University authorities.

He wrote the exams without attending classes for one- and-a-half years. In the meantime he was forbidden from entering the college campus. Jaick had  completed his schooling at the Girideepam higher secondary school here.  He later joined as a distance education student of MA international relations at the Annamalai University and is now waiting for the results.

Jaick, who was  president of the SFI Kottayam district committee, was elected as the state president one month ago.  Son of  M.T. Thomas  and Anna-mma Thomas of Manarcaud  belonging to the  Jacobite Church, Jaick is also a member of Manarcaud St. Mary's Cathedral Church.  His elder brother C.T. Thomas is doing business. 

The Orthodox and the Jacobite factions  are equally strong in the constituency. Those who have tasted defeat against Mr Chandy earlier include  Ms Suja Susan George of  the LDF in 2011  and Ms Sindhu Joy, then an SFI leader, in 2006.