By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : With the Election Commission Thursday night announcing March 18 as date for the Piravom by-election it would be the first acid test for the Congress-led United Democratic Front government that has a slender three-seat majority in the Kerala assembly.
The election is to be held after legislator and state food and civil supplies minister T.M. Jacob passed away last October.
Jacob, 61, was the sole legislator in the Kerala Congress (Jacob) and his son Anup Jacob has already been nominated by his party to represent the constituency which has been a fortress of his father for long.
Anup Jacob will take on M.J. Jacob of the Communist Party of India-Marxist who defeated T.M. Jacob in the 2006 polls and in 2011 he lost with a margin of just 157 votes to T.M. Jacob.
Nominations can be filed from Feb 22 till Feb 29. Scrutiny would take place on March 1 and March 3 would the last date for withdrawal.
Counting of votes would take place on March 21.