THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress has reportedly decided to field former MLA K S Sabarinadhan in high-voltage Nemom constituency in the assembly elections. If the party’s central election committee (CEC), which is considering the candidate list forwarded by the screening committee from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam,, finalises his name, Sabarinadhan will take on BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPM’s sitting MLA V Sivankutty.
The CEC has finalised 31 names. They include 20 sitting MLAs, except sitting MLAs K Babu and expelled leader Rahul Mamkootathil. Candidates for reserved seats and several general constituencies have also been finalised.
The high command has called Perumbavoor MLA Eldose P Kunnapillil to New Delhi for deliberation. The leadership was considering shifting him to Kochi and allot the Perumbavoor seat to Ernakulam DCC president Mohammad Shiaz. However, party sources said Eldose refused to concede to the demand. Meanwhile, consensus has been reached within the Congress to allot another politically important constituency, Thiruvananthapuram Central, to UDF ally CMP.
Party general secretary C P John is likely to be the candidate from there. Former minister V S Sivakumar who had staked claim to the seat has been offered the Aruvikkara constituency.
In Kattakada, the candidature of DCC vice-president M R Baiju is almost certain while in Varkala Dr S S Lal has emerged as favourite. The party has decided to field former CPI state council member Meenankal Kumar from Nedumangad in place of CPI’s sitting MLA and minister G R Anil.
In Vamanapuram, Palode Ravi and Sudheer Sha Palode have entered the final round of consideration. In Kazhakootam, though KPCC member J S Akhil is the frontrunner, KPCC vice-president Sarat Chandra Prasad’s name has also entered the list at the last moment.
In Kollam district, Jyoti Kumar Chamakkala is reportedly set to contest from Pathanapuram, while former CPM MLA Aisha Potty has been confirmed in Kottarakkara. In the politically significant Kollam constituency, though the DCC has formally recommended KPCC general secretary Sooraj Ravi, an AICC general secretary is said to be backing Political Affairs Committee member Bindu Krishna. There is discontent in the party in Kollam over the candidature of both Aisha Potty and Bindu Krishna.
There is also strong resentment in Congress against the alleged attempt to sideline KPCC vice-president M Liju in Ambalappuzha for accommodating CPM leader G Sudhakaran. While Liju’s name was also being considered in Tripunithura constituency, local party leaders have raised objections. Though sitting MLA K Babu has not opened his mind on the issue, it is learnt that he is in favour of Liju’s candidature.