Alappuzha: “When he climbed into the small country boat to go fishing, I was honestly scared. Not because he was going to the sea—but I wondered if he would end up like me.” These were the thoughts that once troubled Dominic Jackson of Arattukadavu in Mararikulam North when he thought about his son, AD Thomas. Today, those worries are slowly fading. The reason: Thomas is now the UDF candidate from the Alappuzha constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Dominic feels happy knowing that the son who used to accompany him for fishing is now a candidate in the elections.

If the motor usually hung in front of Thomas house is missing, one thing is certain—Jackson and his two sons have taken their motor-fitted country boat out to sea in search of fish. Thomas is also the KSU district president and has two younger brothers, Christine and Boniface. Thomas and Boniface usually go fishing with their father, while Christine runs an electronics service centre.

They leave for sea at 4 am and return only after 7 pm. Dominic educated all three of his children through his earnings from selling fish. Thomas completed his postgraduate studies but did not finish LLB. Christine holds a diploma in polytechnic electronics, and Boniface has a postgraduate degree in English literature. In the process, Dominic incurred debts exceeding ₹7 lakh.

The house has been freshly painted as Christine’s marriage has been fixed. The roof is made of tiles and asbestos sheets, and during the rainy season, water leaks into the house through gaps in the sheets. On one wall hangs a badge belonging to Thomas—a reminder of his tenure as chairman of St. Michael’s College, Cherthala, during 2015–16.

Thomas had earlier been assaulted by a gunman while protesting during the Nava Kerala Yatra led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when it passed through Alappuzha. He was also once considered as a candidate for the Mararikulam division in the district panchayat elections, and even wall posters had been put up, but he was dropped at the last moment.

However, something bigger was waiting for him—the Assembly candidature in Alappuzha. And that thought fills his mother, Akkamma, with joy as well.