Fight for Keralam: Left releases list of candidates; Pinarayi to contest from Dharmadam
While the Congress is expected to release its candidate list within a couple of days, the BJP would take a call after a meeting of its central election committee in Delhi on Wednesday
The ruling CPI(M) released a list of 81 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls, while its constituent CPI released a list of 25 candidates, dropping six sitting legislators who had completed three consecutive terms.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is leading the pack by contesting from Dharmadam constituency. Senior party leader and former health minister K K Shailaja, who was lauded for her work during the Nipah crisis, will test the poll waters from Peravoor constituency.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is seeking the mandate for an unprecedented third consecutive term in power, has fielded 56 sitting MLAs and most of the ministers, in a bid to check the anti-incumbency factor.
Out of the 86 seats that the CPI(M) will be contesting, 75 will have the party’s own candidates. All incumbent CPI(M) MLAs are contesting from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
Ministers, including V Sivankutty, Veena George, K N Balagopal, R Bindu, P Rajeeve, M B Rajesh, P A Mohamed Riyas, V N Vasavan, Saji Cherian and O R Kelu, and CPI(M)-backed Independents K T Jaleel, and V Abdul Rahiman are also in the fray this time.
LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) State secretary V K Sanoj, and former India footballer U Sharafali are on the list as well.
However, significant names missing from the list include Speaker A N Shamseer, CPI(M) State secretary M V Govindan, State Secretariat member M Swaraj and former minister M M Mani.
The CPI(M) has fielded 10 women candidates, including P K Shyamala, Pushpa Das, K Shanthakumari, M B Shiny, U Prathibha, Daleema Jojo, and O S Ambika.
The CPI, a major coalition partner in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government in Kerala, announced candidates for 25 constituencies, within hours of the poll dates being announced.
Those denied renomination include Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar and legislators P S Supal, E K Vijayan, V Sasi, E S Jayalal, and former Minister E Chandrasekheran.
At the same time, the party has retained all four of its ministers in the present government — G R Anil, J Chinchu Rani, P Prasad, and K Rajan — asking them to defend their seats in the upcoming contest.
Three sitting legislators — E T Tyson, Muhammed Muhassin and V R Sunilkumar — have also been given another opportunity to seek a fresh mandate.
The CPM was quick to follow, announcing its decision to contest 86 of the 140 seats.
Talking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, CPM state secretary Govindan said the party would announce five party-backed Independent candidates later.
He exuded confidence that the people of Kerala would reward the LDF for its welfare and developmental initiatives, as well as for making a reality major projects such as the National Highway development and the GAIL pipeline project, which were “thought to be impossible”.
“The candidates were all decided in a democratic manner, beginning from the list of probables prepared by the district secretariats, which were vetted by the party leadership at the state and national levels. Five more Independent candidates for Palakkad, Koduvally, Kondotty, Tirur, and Kottakkal, will be announced soon,” he said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had on March 12 announced its first list of 22 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls.
AAP’s state working president Selina Philip will contest from Kottayam. Other candidates include Dr Alphonsa Mathew from Kozhikode, Vinu K from Nemom, Mamachan D from Kottarakkara, and advocate Basil from Thodupuzha, among others, who will seek the people’s mandate.
Udayan Sukumaran from Palakkad, Jose Gerorge from Thirkkakara and Abdul Aziz from Mallapuram are some of the other candidates in the fray.
While the Congress is expected to release its candidate list within a couple of days, the BJP would take a call after a meeting of its central election committee in Delhi on Wednesday, party sources said.
The Congress leadership is looking to score with the strong anti-incumbency, with leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan predicting a 100-seat win for the party-led UDF.
The BJP, along with its NDA allies, plans to contest all 140 seats. Party state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar is slated to contest from Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram district.
According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the last date for filing nominations is March 23. Scrutiny will take place on March 24, while March 26 is the final date for withdrawal of candidatures.
Polling across all 140 assembly constituencies in Kerala will be held on April 9, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
