Jose K Mani alongwith Oomen Chandy ,waves supporters

Kottayam,March 16 2009 : Even as the Congress and the UDF is yet to come up with a full scale candidates’ list across the state, the first election convention of  the front in the state  for  the  forthcoming polls was held here today adding momentum to the campaigning of  Kerala Congress (M) nominee Jose K Mani in the Kottayam segment,in the presence of  a mammoth gathering of workers belonging to constituent parties and a slew of  state and district level UDF leaders.

Inaugurating the convention,union Overseas Indian affairs minister  Vayalar Ravi said that when political parties often comes up with a development plank during poll eve,the United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress is facing the polls this time by highlighting the fact that the basement for  development and economic growth has already been laid by the present government led by Dr Manmohan Singh and one should vote for carrying the progress of  the country forward with continued support.Also,the votes are sought for strengthening the secular fabric of the country,he said.

Exhorting UDF workers to consider themselves as a candidate in the polls and work unitedly to beat the anti-people LDF  government , Opposition leader Oomen Chandy said that it has become clear that the LDF and CPM would join with any terrorist or religious fundamentalist group for the sake of just two votes and would whitewash it from the glare of the common people.With the current polls,the mask of morality  carried by the CPM has fallen in the wayside,he ridiculed.He said that the present polls has a mission to ensure the romping home of the UPA alliance and ensure the protection of secularism in the country and when members of the  parliament stood up and  raised their hands in support of the government,Jose K Mani should also be one among them,he declared,to the cheers of  those assembled.

Jose K Mani said that he viewed the contest in Kottayam as not between two or more individuals but a fight of two political fronts.The UPA government has to come to power again for leading the country’s growth and secular credentials on the one hand and the LDF government here has to be opposed for its anti-people policies on the other ,he said.He promised to be one among the masses always , if elected.

Kerala Congress leaders’ K M Mani,R Balakrishna Pillai, T M Jacob,UDF convenor P P Thankachan, MLAs’ C F Thomas, G Karthikeyan,K C Joseph, P C George ,Joseph M Puthuserry, Thomas Chazhikadan, Thomas Unniyadan  , Prof N Jayaraj and others attended.