THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As if taking a cue from the rival Congress camp, the CPM is also going in for surveys, before finalising its list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections. Keen to ensure a third consecutive term for the ruling Left, the leadership is relying heavily on surveys to both identify ideal candidates and assess winnability of incumbent MLAs. The surveys are primarily aimed at weeding out legislators with low chances of retaining their constituencies.
Sources said a private agency from outside the state has already been engaged for the task, with the surveys currently under way. The surveys are more of an initiative directly handled by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and will play a key role in finalising candidates. In addition to agency surveys, the government is waiting for intelligence inputs which will also be taken into consideration.
Considering the critical nature of the coming elections, the CPM has already made up its mind to do away with the two-term criteria for contesting elections. The party has asked a majority of sitting MLAs, barring a few who would be kept away due to various reasons, to be active in their respective constituencies in preparation for another electoral battle.
However, a final decision on their candidature would be taken, as per the survey assessments. The intelligence inputs coupled with survey findings of the private agencies will be a key factor for considering an extension to sitting MLAs.
The UDF, meanwhile, is giving weightage to survey findings by select agencies as well as those conducted by poll strategist Sunil Kanagolu, in finalising its list of candidates. The Left, however, proposes to take a more pragmatic approach.
“Here, the surveys would be more of an initiative to collect opinions from people. Surveys cannot state conclusively whether a candidate would win or not. These will be individual-specific assessment, checking various favourable factors, discussions with peer groups, and then reaching a conclusion on winnability,” said a state committee member.
Of the sitting MLAs, a few may not be fielded again. There are indications that legislators like M M Mani who’s not keen due to old age and health-related issues, and some others like M Mukesh and U Prathibha may not be fielded again. In the case of few others like minister V Sivankutty who has health issues and party Thiruvananthapuram district secretary V Joy, the leadership may choose to field them again, if no apt replacements are found.