KOTTAYAM: CPM state secretary MV Govindan said that the result of the Puthuppally by-election will be the assessment of the state government. He was speaking after announcing Jaick C Thomas as an LDF candidate.

"Our goal is a political struggle. We have no intention to offend anyone personally. CPM is against the politics of insulting one's family. We will discuss development in the Puthuppally constituency. If there is an emotional campaign at any stage of the election, we will answer it then. It was only after the second Pinarayi government came to power that the opposition realized that development will get votes. Since then, the opposition has been opposing all development works. This kind of opposition is unheard of in any other part of the world. The opposition is creating a smokescreen of corruption and opposing even effective interventions where Kerala is a model for the world. People will not accept this. The people of Puthuppally will vote for development," Govindan said.