In Kerala,bypoll can make or break

Also,the government heads into the bypoll facing several controversies. The latest issue the Opposition will rake up involves the release of jailed UDF leader R Balakrishna Pillai. In fact,even this release is a sign of the UDFs desperation to appease Pillai’s son,Forest Minister K B Ganesh Kumar.

Pirvam has traditionally voted UDF but had swung to the CPM in 2006,before the late Jacob staged a hard-fought comeback this year,with a 157-vote margin.

Selecting a candidate too will be tough. Jacob belonged to the Jacobite Church,the House’s only representative of this locally strong non-Catholic group. The CPM is likely to field M J Jacob,also a Jacobite,who upset the minister in 2006.

Crucial will be the Government’s stand in the battle between the Orthodox and Jacobite Churches over the ownership of St Peter’s and Paul’s Church at Kolenchery,not far from Piravom. Being an Orthodox Church follower,Chief Minister Oommen Chandy cannot antagonise the Jacobite Church,which is already peeved at a High Court order saying the ownership of the Kolenchery church should go to Orthodox faction. Both groups,led by their bishops,had hit the streets last month. A Cabinet sub-committee met both sides last week hoping to find a solution.

The previous LDF government,too,had faced a by-election within six months after the death of a legislator,Mathai Chacko. Though it had a large majority,the entire LDF machinery had toiled to retain Thiruvambaby,and yet it won by just 300 votes.