Thiruvananthapuram: The candidature of Joseph M Puthuserry of Kerala Congress (M) in Thiruvalla has triggered a controversy after community leaders came out supporting and opposing him. The issues started with a letter written by Congress leader P.J. Kurien to Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani opposing Puthussery. He alleged that Puthuserry had worked for the defeat of Victor T. Thomas from Thiruvalla in the last Assembly elections.
Thomas belongs to the Marthoma church and Kurian also is its member while Puthuserry is an Orthodox Church member. Earlier, Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church supreme head Baselios Mar Thomas Poulose II had in a television interview blamed the Congress for not giving adequate representation for the church. He had also said that Kerala Congress and its leader K M Mani had done justice to the community by fielding Puthuserry.
On Friday, Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church came out against the Kerala Congress (M) for not considering the community. He also pointed out that Puthussery had worked for the defeat of the UDF candidate in the last elections.Both the churches have considerable influence in the constituency.
Former minister and Janata Dal (secular) leader Mathew T. Thomas is the LDF candidate from the constituency and has won twice from there. This despite the fact that Thiruvalla has shown a tilt towards the UDF in its electoral history. Tantri Akkeeramon Kalidasa Bhattathirippad of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena is the candidate of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
The BJP made an impressive performance in the last local body elections by winning two panchayats under the constituency and 33 members winning the local body seats. It had also secured over 28,000 votes from local bodies in the constituency.
