KOCHI: Uma Thomas, wife of late MLA PT Thomas, has been named the UDF candidate in the Thrikkakkara by-election. Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi approved KPCC's decision regarding Uma's candidature.

Speaking to the media, Uma Thomas thanked the Congress High Command for naming her as the UDF candidate. "I would like to thank the Congress High Command and UDF leadership. I will follow the stances taken by PT Thomas," she said.

"The UDF has begun its campaign in Thrikkakkara. Dominic Presentation will not dismiss me. He was a close friend of PT. The by-poll will be people's verdict against the SilverLine project. LDF's strength in the Assembly will remain as 99," she added.

Opposition leader VD Satheesan said that the decision to field Uma Thomas was a unanimous one and that PT Thomas's emotional connection with the Thrikkakkara constituency was taken into consideration in the selection of the candidate.