THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ending the week long uncertainty, KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran has announced the much-awaited Congress list in 86 seats. The candidate list in the remaining six disputed seats, Kalpetta, Nilambur, Vattiyoorkavu, Kundara, Tavanur and Pattambi will be announced on Monday after holding more talks. The Congress list has got 46 candidates between the age group of 25-50 years. More than 55 per cent of them are new faces.
But high drama prevailed in front of Indira Bhavan after the seat denial to Mahila Congress president Lathika Subhash who resigned from her post and sent shock waves by tonsuring her head.
Contrary to the usual norm of the central Congress leadership announcing the candidature in New Delhi, this time Mullapally released the Congress list. The list which was announced after several deliberations and marathon talks lasting almost a week in New Delhi has several merits as well as demerits. Despite the repeated claims by the leadership that 60 per cent representation will be given to youths, new faces and women candidates, it has not been met in the case of providing seats to the women where only nine have been given the ticket akin to the 2016 Assembly elections.
“There is a generation shift in the candidature list which is seeing 46 candidates between the age group of 25 years – 50 years in the fray. There are also 22 candidates in the age group between 51 years – 60 years, 15 candidates in the age group between 61 -70 years and three seniors who are above 70 years of age. Further discussions have to be held with the Congress high command, Screening Committee leadership and party leadership on the disputed six seats which we are hoping to announce on Monday itself”, said Mullapally.
On the much awaited suspense on the Nemom candidature, Mullapally announced the name of sitting Vadakara MP K Muraleedharan after the central Congress leadership decided to give relaxation to him alone. Muraleedharan’s candidature from Nemom was considered following the firm stand by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy that he will contest only from his sitting seat of Puthupally where he had contested for a record 11 times. The central Congress leadership was keen to see the Congress putting up a formidable candidate in Nemom which is synonymous as the citadel of BJP, the only sitting seat of the saffron party. Muraleedharan was ready to take up the challenge which came to his advantage at the eleventh hour. Mullpally will be returning to the State only after the announcement of the candidates in the six remaining disputable seats.