Kochi: The electorate in Thrikkakara will give a shock treatment to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the May 31 assembly bypoll, veteran Congress leader A K Antony said here on Friday.

Antony, 81, hit the Thrikkakara campaign trail for the first time on Friday after shifting back to Kerala from Delhi last month.

The former defence minister addressed media in the United Democratic Front's election office as part of campaigning for the Congress candidate Uma Thomas.

He said Vijayan has forgotten the people after winning a second term. "This is the best opportunity for the voters in Thrikkakara to give Vijayan a shock treatment. We are confident that Uma will win with a huge margin as the people are really disappointed in giving a second term to Vijayan," Antony said.

Alleging that Vijayan's arrogance has increased manifold after winning a second term, Antony said if the Left wins its 100th seat in Thrikkakara it would make the chief minister more rude and arrogant.

'Congress CMs brought progress to Kochi'

Ridiculing the Left front's claims of being a champion of development, Antony said the CPM talking about development was the biggest joke doing rounds.

"The CPM doesn't have any moral right to speak of development as all major projects you see in Kochi were brought by the UDF. Many of them came during the regimes of the K Karunakaran government. The bridges connecting Kochi's islands to the mainland were realised during my term. The Kochi Metro became a reality with the political will of Oommen Chandy. On the other hand, the CPM has opposed all development projects. They have chased away tractors and played spoilsport when the mechanisation of coir units first began. They opposed computers when they were first introduced and today they speak as if they are the ones who are pro-development," said Antony.

Antony is scheduled to address two public meetings later in the day.

The bypoll came up after two-time Thrikkakara MLA and Congress veteran P T Thomas passed away in December last year. The Congress has fielded Thomas' widow Uma, while the CPM has picked cardiologist Dr Jo Joseph as its candidate.

Senior leader A N Radhakrishnan is the BJP candidate.

All the major leaders of the three fronts have been camping in the constituency for weeks for the high-pitched electioneering.