Kerala polls: Thrissur ex-mayor returns to Cong

Thrissur: Congress in the district received a shot in the arm as former mayor M K Varghese returned to the party. Varghese, a Congress leader for the last several decades, had become Thrissur mayor with LDF support after winning as an independent candidate in local body elections in 2020. He contested as an independent after Congress denied him the ticket then. Varghese said he was returning to Congress without any conditions. "Congress is my Tharavad, this is only a ‘ghar wapsi'. There is no need for laying conditions when one is returning home,'' he said. Earlier, suspended Congress councillor Lali James too had returned to the party. She was suspended after raising a banner of revolt following denial of mayor post after local body elections in 2025. She returned to the party a few days ago after she tendered a public apology.Varghese said he would campaign for Rajan Pallan, Congress candidate in Thrissur constituency. Pallan was opposition leader when Varghese was the mayor. He said Pallan would win in Thrissur and UDF would come to power in state.Varghese said there was no undertaking between him and LDF while he was hoisted as mayor. "I didn't go to LDF, but LDF had come to me. I wanted to take three months as a cooling period after relinquishing mayor post. As that period is over, I'm announcing my political position,'' he said.Varghese had courted controversy over his active association with BJP leader and Union minister Suresh Gopi. But Varghese had then clarified that his association with Gopi was only as Thrissur MP and Union minister.There were reports that Varghese would contest as BJP nominee in Thrissur assembly seat. However, this didn't materialise and Padmaja Venugopal was selected as BJP candidate in Thrissur.