Candidates rejig plans as rains play spoilsport

Kochi: With rains playing spoilsport during the

Thrikkakara

bypoll campaign, major political fronts have cut short its public meetings. The candidates and leaders are now focusing on meeting prominent individuals and opinion moulders.LDF candidate Dr Jo

Joseph

has been focusing on house visits for the past couple of days. The vehicle rally as part of the campaign had to be stopped due to incessant and heavy rains which lashed Kochi and other parts of the state. Joseph attended the cyclothon organized in connection with World Hypertension Day. He along with wife Dr Daya Pascal rode the bicycle from their house at Vazhakkala to Jawaharlal Nehru stadium as part of the cyclothon. Joseph said he used to ride his bicycle every week.Later, he attended family meets organized as part of the election campaign at Palarivattom. At the family meeting of KSEB, Joseph recalled his childhood days when he used to write notes on

KSEB

ledgers. Being the son of KSEB officials Joseph and Ealikkutty, Jo’s childhood was spent at KSEB quarters and offices. So, there is an affection for KSEB officials, he said. He attended the election convention of INL at Palarivattom, with minister for ports and museum Ahmed Devarkovil also taking part.UDF candidate Uma

Thomas

also mainly focussed on house visits on Saturday. She attended a get-together of women organized under the aegis of Janashree Mission at Perumanathazham near Ponekkara. She urged the women to secure financial independence through education, entrepreneurship and other jobs. Thomas called upon the members of Janashree Mission to work together for electing a woman MLA for Congress.On Saturday morning, Thomas started the campaign by visiting Rajarajeswari temple at Palarivattom. She sought votes of the devotees and the temple employees there. She boarded some of the buses and requested votes from the passengers and workers. She attended two weddings too. Thomas attended a commemoration meeting on Rajiv Gandhi’s 31st death anniversary.NDA candidate A N Radhakrishnan also started his campaign on Saturday with house visits. He spoke with many homemakers in Kakkanad who are aggrieved due to lack of adequate drinking water. Later, he visited a few houses at Ponnurunni.However, Radhakrishnan started the vehicle rally in the afternoon. Starting from Karukappilly in Kaloor in an open jeep, he visited Deshabhimani, Eroor, North Janatha Road, P J Antony Road, Anchumana, etc.