Veena George makes first public appearance amid speculations over candidature

Amid growing speculations about her candidacy in the upcoming Assembly elections, Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday attended her first public program after the alleged attack on her by KSU activists.

Wearing a collar, the Minister inaugurated the Arogyam Anandam Festival in Pathanamthitta. Addressing the meeting, he alleged that the LDF government was overseeing an unprecedented infrastructural expansion in the state’s health sector and alleged that concerted attempts were being made to weaken the public health system.

“In Pathanamthitta alone, there has been a significant expansion of healthcare infrastructure, including medical training facilities and cath laboratory, among others,” the minister said.

The event gained further significance amid reports that the Minister’s husband, George Joseph, had approached the CPI(M) leadership and requested him not to contest the upcoming Assembly elections, citing family reasons. According to sources, the issue was discussed in a meeting of CPI(M) district secretariat on Monday and has since been reported to the State leadership.

Final decision with the party

Since Ms. George is an invitee of the CPI(M) State committee, the final decision lies with the State leadership of the party, who are expected to seek clarification from both the Minister and his wife.

Ms. George, MLA from Aranmula, was recommended for another term in the constituency by the CPI(M) State committee and the district committee also supported her candidacy. He first won from Aranmula in 2016 and retained the seat in 2021. In 2019, he contested the Lok Sabha election from Pathanamthitta but was defeated.

Meanwhile, the decision on his candidacy is equally important for the UDF, which is yet to identify a suitable opponent in Aranmula. Although many names were considered, most names were rejected after consideration of their validity in the selection.

The UDF’s strategy was to field a candidate who could counter Ms George’s strong personal connection and political clout in the constituency. The opinions of the society also came to the fore during the meetings.

The state leadership is approaching the Aranmula election seriously. Among the names discussed is Youth Congress national secretary Abin Varkey, but no consensus has been reached so far. The possibility of seat swapping with the Kerala Congress was also explored during these discussions, with the Congress keen to take over the Thiruvalla seat as part of such an arrangement.