THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM state committee on Thursday finalised its assembly poll candidate list, excluding P Sarin, who joined the party ahead of the Palakkad by-election and contested as the LDF candidate. The leadership has asked him to focus on organisational work. The party is yet to zero in on its candidate from the constituency.
In Palakkad district, sitting MLAs K Babu (Nenmara) and K D Prasenan (Alathur) have been dropped. Former Nenmara panchayat president K Preman will contest from Nenmara, while Palakkad district panchayat president T N Sasi has been fielded in Alathur.
In Ernakulam district, Vypeen MLA K N Unnikrishnan has been moved to the Tripunithura constituency. The move comes after analysing the political situation that emerged after Congress’ sitting MLA K Babu’s retirement from electoral politics.
In Vypeen, AIDWA district secretary M B Shiny will contest. In Thrikkakara, Ernakulam, and Aluva, the party is exploring independent candidates, with no names finalised yet, a district committee member said.
Former MP Sebastian Paul’s son Rone Bastian is being considered for Thrikkakara, while CPM leader P N Seenulal’s son and film director Sohan Seenulal, along with former Congress veteran K V Thomas, now a CPM fellow traveller—are in the fray for Ernakulam.