THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The inordinate wait on the Congress candidature list is continuing unabated over stalemate on Nemom, Vattiyoorkavu and over two dozen seats. KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran has informed that one of the best, a strong contender, who has got public acceptance and a famous personality will contest from Nemom Assembly constituency. If the Screening Committee talks get prolonged, the Congress list on the 92 seats would be announced only on Saturday morning.
The Congress list was initially expected to be announced on Wednesday and with frequent postponements, the party workers are feeling the heat on the much-awaited candidate list. As per the characteristics put forth by Mullapally, there are only two leaders who fit the bills, Oommen Chandy and Thiruvananthapuram MP, Shashi Tharoor.
But speculation is rife that AICC organizing general secretary KC Venugopal, Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan is also being considered from Nemom. The “A” group is peeved with the KPCC and AICC leaderships over giving undue prominence to Nemom seat when the BJP contender is Kummanam Rajasekharan who had tasted defeat thrice in various elections. On Friday, Mullapally informed that the AICC leadership is considering the Nemom contest very seriously.
“One of the best, a strong contender, one who has got public acceptance and a famous personality will contest from Nemom. If the Screening Committee talks doesn’t get over by tonight, then the Congress list is likely to be announced only on Saturday morning”, said Mullapally.
But reacting to Mullapally’s statement, Oommen Chandy reiterated that he will not leave Puthupally. He added that he will contest only from his sitting seat of Puthupally from where he had contested 11 times.
“If I am contesting from anywhere, it will be only from Puthupally. I had been contesting from Puthupally for five decades and I have not considered any other constituency so far. It is the media who is maintaining that big shots will be fielded”, said Oommen Chandy.
Now all eyes are on whether the Congress list will be announced on Friday or whether it will be pushed to the next day. Until then the suspense on Nemom and Vattiyoorkavu will continue.