KOTTAYAM: When the suspense remains over what is next for Kerala Congress-M leader P J Joseph, who was caught napping in party chairman K M Mani’s politricks, party candidate Thomas Chazhikadan has started campaign in his Kottayam constituency from Tuesday morning itself.

With this Joseph’s hopes to get a seat go in vain. Chazhikadan, who met NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair, DCC president Joshy Philip and other leaders, also visited Christian seminaries as part of his campaign

The Congress is treading a cautious path since any effort made to persuade Chazhikadan to back off will adversely affect other candidates in the middle part of Kerala. Keeping this in mind, Mani’s son Jose K Mani stated that the party would decide the candidate for Kerala Congress M and UDF allies need not interfere in it. He also added that candidature of his party was a closed chapter.