Mani C. Kappan sworn in as MLA

 

NCP leader Mani C. Kappan was sworn in as an MLA of the Kerala Assembly in a brief ceremony held here on Wednesday.

Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan administered the oath of office to Mr. Kappan, who, as Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate, had defeated Jose Tom Pulikunnel of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the September 23 by-election held to the Pala assembly constituency in Kottayam district.

Mr. Kappan took the oath in the name of God at the ceremony held at the banquet hall of the Legislature Secretariat.

With his victory, the LDF had managed to wrest Pala, a traditional Kerala Congress (M) stronghold represented by its chairman K.M. Mani for 54 years, from the UDF. The by-election had been necessitated by K. M. Mani’s death on April 9 this year.

Mr. Kappan, who is the son of former MP Cherian J. Kappan, is the second MLA to represent the Pala constituency which was formed in 1965. He had been unsuccessful in his attempts to unseat K.M. Mani in the past three elections.

In the 2019 by-election, Mr. Kappan bagged 54,137 votes, defeating Mr. Pulikkunnel, the nearest rival, by 2943 votes. N. Hari of the NDA stood third with 18,044 votes.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, ministers, NCP leaders, Mr. Kappan’s wife Alice, daughters Tina and Deepa and other family members were present for the swearing-in ceremony.

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