Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress on Tuesday introduced the primary checklist of candidates for the Kerala elections, saying names from 55 Lok Sabha constituencies amid criticism from the opposition over the delay.
Kannur isn’t included on this checklist, as Okay. Sudhakaran, a former chairman of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and a member of Parliament, has repeatedly expressed curiosity in working.
Elections shall be held in Kerala in early April to elect 140 members of the state meeting.
Incumbent MLA and opposition chief VD Satheesan shall be contesting from his house base of Paravoor in Ernakulam district. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph will contest from Peravur seat in Kannur district, which he at present represents. Peravur is anticipated to see a fierce battle between Joseph and CPI(M) chief KK Shailaja this time.
One other senior Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala will even attempt to retain his seat from Haripad meeting constituency.
In Thiruvananthapuram’s Vattiyoorkavu, Okay. Muraleedharan will face off towards Communist Celebration of India (Marxist) chief VK Prashant, sitting MLA, Bharatiya Janata Celebration chief and former IPS officer R. Sreelekha.
The Congress has fielded widespread TV star Ramesh Pisharody to switch Rahul Mamkuttashir in Palkad metropolis. The actor shall be contesting from Bharatiya Janata Celebration chief Sobha Surendran in one other vital seat, Palkad. Each nationwide events connect significance to Mr. Palkad, and it’s anticipated to be one of many closest races in Kerala.
The Congress has confronted quite a few controversies in Palkad over the previous yr after a number of sexual assault instances have been filed towards Mamkuttashir, who was expelled from the celebration.
P. Aisha Poti, who lately switched to Congress from CPI(M), is being fielded as a candidate towards incumbent MLA from Kottarakkara meeting constituency and Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal.
Former mayor and Congress chief Rajan Palan is working towards Okay. Karunakaran’s daughter Padmaja Venugopal, a former Congress chief who joined the Bharatiya Janata Celebration in 2024.
Chandy Oommen, son of former CM Oommen Chandy, will contest elections from Puthupalli, the seat he at present represents and his late father’s erstwhile constituency.
In Malampuzha constituency, which was beforehand represented by CPI(M) veteran VS Achuthanandan, the Congress has fielded A. Suresh, a former VS staffer who was expelled from the celebration in 2013 for violating celebration self-discipline. Suresh joined Parliament hours earlier than the checklist was introduced on Tuesday.
The preliminary checklist of candidates stands out because the celebration has averted saying the Kannur candidate, whose candidacy is being claimed by former KPCC chief Okay. Sudhakaran.
Sudhakaran, who’s at present an MP representing Kannur Lok Sabha constituency, expressed curiosity in contesting from Kannur final week by means of statements at public occasions and posts on social media. Nevertheless, these have been quickly ignored by the Kerala Congress management, which stated celebration leaders couldn’t independently announce their candidature.
Amid the controversy, posters hinting help for Sudhakaran have been put up at a number of locations in Kannur, however the celebration maintained that the ultimate resolution on the candidate could be taken by the central management.
Comparable posters have been additionally put up at Konni, the house base of Attingal MP Adoor Prakash. Nevertheless, the celebration had not but introduced a candidate for Konni as of Tuesday.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Additionally learn: CPI(M), CPI title Kerala candidate. Vijayan protects Dharmadam and Shailaja strikes to Peravur.
