THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM has decided to field former Alappuzha MP A M Ariff from the Aluva assembly constituency. He will be contesting against sitting Congress MLA Anwar Sadat. Ariff’s name was not included in the candidate list submitted by the Alappuzha district secretariat.
However, in the review, the leadership decided to experiment with Ariff in Aluva after the former MP also expressed his desire to contest. In Puthupally constituency, district secretariat member M K Radhakrishnan’s name is being considered.
Meanwhile, the secretariat has asked party Alappuzha district leadership to deal cautiously with the situation arising after former minister G Sudhakaran declared his candidacy in Ambalappuzha.
In the meeting, almost all leaders were of the opinion that since Sudhakaran has not renewed party membership he is no longer a CPM member. “We will neglect the Sudhakaran issue as it is no longer related to us,” said a secretariat member. The district leadership is also advised not to provoke Sudhakaran. However, the party calculates that Sudhakaran’s entry into the election fray has tightened the contest in Ambalappuzha.