THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress may field Mr D. Vijayakumar, 65, Chengannur Cooperative Bank chief, for the Chengannur byelection. He is currently the national vice-president of Ayyappa Seva Sangham and has wide acceptance in the constituency. Vijayakumar had started his campaign in Chengannur in 1991 but Shobhana George was later projected as the candidate. Vijayakumar was a protégé of K. Karunakaran. When Karunakaran form-ed DIC (K), Vijayakumar stayed with the Congress. “He never got the recognition he deserved as he was not a shrewd politician,” said a Congress leader.
Though Mr P. C. Vishnunath’s name had cropped up, former chief minister Oommen Chandy was not keen to field him as local netas feared that his candidature will resurrect the solar scam and affect the UDF prospects. The other names under consideration are of former Mavelikara MLA M. Murali, KPCC general secretary Babu Prasad and former Alappuzha DCC general secretary Eby Kuriakose.
Vishnunath had said the other day that he wished to continue as AICC secretary in charge of Karnataka where Assembly elections are due. Vishnunath was defeated in the 2016 Assembly elections by CPM’s K. K. Ramachandran Nair. He was deputed to Karnataka by the AICC leadership since last April-end. “Vishnunath has better acceptance than any of the aspiring leaders who are currently eyeing the Chengannur seat,” said a senior Congress leader. KPCC president M. M. Hassan told DC that talks have not been initiated on the candidate as the Election Commission is yet to announce the date of the by-election.
