THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Young CPM leader AA Rahim is all set to enter Rajya Sabha. The 40-year-old leader could be one of the youngest to be elected to the RS from the state. The CPM available secretariat on Wednesday decided to field state committee member and DYFI national president AA Rahim as candidate for the Rajya Sabha election to be held on March 31.
The decision was taken in line with party's attempt to bring in a generational shift in its leadership and parliamentary positions. In the CPM state conference held last week, Rahim was included in the party state committee also.
AA Rahim, while serving as DYFI state secretary, was elevated as its national president after incumbent Mohammed Riyaz became minister in the second Pinarayi cabinet. Rahim had earlier served as SFI state vice president, Kerala University Union Chairman and University Syndicate member. In 2011 he contested against Varkala Kahar from Varkala assembly, but lost.
Three RS seats from the state will fall vacant, with the terms of senior Congress leader A K Antony, and LDF's M V Shreyamskumar and K Somaparasad ending on April 2. Of them the LDF is poised to win two and the UDF one. On Tuesday the LDF decided to share the seats between the CPM and the CPI. Though LDF constituents NCP, JDS and LJD too staked claim for a seat, CM Pinarayi Vijayan insisted on CPI and CPM contesting considering the political scenario at the national level.
The CPI too had chosen a youngster - former AIYF national president P Santhosh Kumar - as its Rajya Sabha candidate on Tuesday.