THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: AS political parties begin talks of seat-sharing and candidate selection ahead of the assembly polls, it seems a majority of the sitting MLAs may contest again in Thiruvananthapuram district. Barring C Divakaran (Nedumangad) and O Rajagopal (Nemom), other sitting legislators are most likely to be back in the fray.
The district, which has never been monopolised by any major political front in the past, was also the first to let the saffron party open its account in the state assembly. If the UDF won nine seats in 2011, it was nine for the LDF in 2016. Later with V K Prasanth winning the Vattiyoorkavu bypoll, the Left increased its tally to 10. Currently, the CPM has eight seats, CPI two, Congress three, and BJP one. With CPI making the three-term norm mandatory, C Divakaran will have to stay away. Most likely, CPI district secretary G R Anil will contest from here.
In Thiruvananthapuram constituency, Antony Raju had contested as the Left independent against Congress’ V S Sivakumar last time. While there are indications that Sivakumar may opt for Nemom this time, the CPM is likely to field a woman candidate here. There are talks within the Left about the CPM taking over the Thiruvananthapuram seat from the Kerala Congress. In that case, V Sivankutty might be considered for Thiruvananthapuram.
Among the eight CPM MLAs, six—C K Hareendran, K Ansalan, I B Satheesh, V Joy, V K Prasanth and D K Murali—are most likely to be fielded again. Minister Kadakampally Surendran may get another chance to contest. B Sathyan, who has completed two consecutive terms, is also likely to be in the fray. If the ‘consecutive two-term’ criterion is followed, SFI state president V Vineesh will be the candidate from Attingal.
From Congress, sitting MLAs V S Sivakumar, K S Sabarinadhan and M Vincent are likely to contest.
From the BJP, Kummanam Rajasekharan could be the candidate in Nemom, while P K Krishnadas may contest again from Kattakkada. Names of K Surendran, V V Rajesh and Karamana Jayan have been doing the rounds as potential candidates.