Warhorses forced to face new equations

Chandy’s victory margin plummets; P.C. George loses his fief; KC(M) gives up its prized possession, Pala

The Biblical saying, “For, what profits a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul” was in the air on Sunday when Kerala Congress (M), an ally of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) did reasonably well in the elections, but its supremo Jose K. Mani received a trouncing at the hands of Mani C. Kappan, sitting MLA, in Pala. The defeat was made even more bitter by the fact that the Left front cruised to a second term and had Mr. Mani won, he would certainly have got a Cabinet berth. A shift in about 10,000 votes from the BJP’s kitty from 2016 was cited by him as the reason for his defeat. The party also failed to make the cut in Kaduthuruthy, its de facto capital. But Congress veteran Oommen Chandy was given a scare by young Left leader Jaick Thomas, who put up a good fight reducing the former’s margin by a third from 2016. Among the wins of the Left in Kottayam district, the one in Poonjar stood out. Strongman P.C. George, who’s held it as his fief, had openly challenged the Muslims of Erattupetta to vote against him. This seems to have resulted in a consolidation of Muslim votes in favour of LDF candidate Sebastian Kulathunkal.