THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the state’s political climate heats up ahead of the assembly elections, the CPM is set to enter the candidate selection phase. Deviating from its usual practice, a major chunk of the state secretariat members will be in the fray this time around.
Of the 17 members in the secretariat, nine are almost certain to contest, while chances are high in the case of a few others. State secretary M V Govindan has already announced his decision not to contest. Among the others, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and cabinet colleagues K N Balagopal, P Rajeeve, Saji Cheriyan, V N Vasavan, and P A Mohamed Riyas, in addition to K K Shailaja, MLA, are most likely to contest.
While central committee member and ex-minister E P Jayarajan is unlikely to contest, T M Thomas Isaac, another central committee member, is in the reckoning for a seat. The former finance minister who had won twice from the now non-existent Mararikulam constituency, from 2001 to 2011, later won twice from Alappuzha (2011 to 2021), which is now represented by party district secretariat member P P Chitharanjan.
There are indications that Isaac is keen to contest from a constituency in Pathanamthitta district, where all five seats are currently held by CPM or Left allies. Isaac had unsuccessfully contested from Pathanamthitta in the last Lok Sabha polls.
Of the rest, the name of M M Swaraj has been doing the rounds for the Nilambur seat. A final decision on fielding LDF convener and Perambra MLA T P Ramakrishnan, in addition to ex-MP P K Biju and ex-MLA M V Jayarajan will be taken soon, sources said.
The other three state secretariat members – K K Jayachandran, Puthalath Dineshan and C N Mohanan – may stay away from the electoral battle. “It is confirmed that the CM will contest and the state secretary will stay away. Depending on the election notification, the secretariat will soon formulate the norms and criteria for candidate selection,” a senior CPM leader told TNIE.