THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress election committee meeting, which was held at the state headquarters Indira Bhawan on Monday, failed to evolve a consensus on the party candidates. Winnability is the only criterion as per the AICC directive and all the party sitting MPs may not figure in the final list to be released within a few days.
In the meeting of the state election committee office-bearers, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran stressed the need to consider only winnability as the criterion for candidates, and this was an indication that some sitting MPs may not be fielded again.
A senior leader of the party told Express the Congress list is likely to figure senior leaders including Oommen Chandy, P J Kurien, Benny Behanan, K Sudhakaran and Adoor Prakash. While the party is not keen to field sitting MLAs and the high-command also not in support of this, and if winnability is the main consideration, then Oommen Chandy and Adoor Prakash will contest the elections.
Leaders including V M Sudheeran, K Sudharakaran, P C Chacko, P J Kurien and Pandalam Sudhakaran stressed the need for the party to focus on the winnable factors and then to finalise the candidates taking into consideration the grass root feedback from the DCCs. AICC general secretary in charge of the state and the Congress All India Election committee chairman, Mukul Wasnik who was present through the meeting was unhappy over the Pathanamthitta DCC leaking out the list of candidates that excluded the name of the sitting MP, Anto Antony.