ALAPPUZHA: The CPI state council has decided to field young leader P Prasad against Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala in the Haripad Assembly constituency.
Prasad garnered recognition at the State level following his active participation in the agitations against sand mining, water exploitation at Plachimada and the Aaranmula airport project. Also, his vibrant leadership helped him get elected as member of the CPI state council. He is a native of Palamel near Nooranad in Alappuzha.
Meanwhile, CPI district secretary P Thilothaman will contest again in Cherthala, which is the other seat allotted to the CPI. He was elected from the constituency two times - in 2006 and 2011.
In the last election, Chennithala had defeated AIYF leader G Krishnaprasad with a margin of 5,520 votes. Though the CPI state leadership had actively considered Krishnaprasad for Haripad this time, the clout of Chennithala and presence of BJP state leader V V Rajesh forced the party to rethink on his candidature.
Thilothaman has represented Cherthala two times in the past. In 2006, he defeated C K Shajimohan of the Congress and in 2011, he defeated JSS leader K R Gowri with a margin of 18,315 votes.
Meanwhile, the UDF has not yet decided its candidate for the constituency. The NDA has allotted Cherthala to BDJS, where retired Tahasildar P S Rajiv will contest for the party.