CPI(M) Fields Heavyweights In Kerala For Lok Sabha Election (Image-facebook/communist party of India (Marxist))
As the first move to tackle the rout the party has faced during the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has fielded prominent leaders in Kerala.
The final list of the candidates was announced on Wednesday and the decision was made by the CPI(M) state committee after considering the recommendations from district committees.
The party has decided to field one of the ministers in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet, a sitting MP, a Rajya Sabha MP, three former ministers and two sitting MLAs. Having in mind the loss the Left alliance faced (19 seats out of 20) in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, CPI(M) is set to increase its count this time.
Prominent leaders including former health minister, and CPI(M) veteran KK Shailaja will contest from the Vadakara constituency. Former minister Prof C Raveedranath will contest from Chalakudy, while former Muslim league leader K S Hamsa will contest from Ponnani as an independent candidate with CPI(M) backing. While in Ernakulam, the party has fielded KSTA leader K J Shine. The Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Kasargod party district secretaries are also in the fray. The party has fielded senior leader and National Federation of Indian Women general secretary Annie Raja at Wayanad where Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to be in the fray.
As per the seat-sharing formula of the ruling LDF, out of a total of 20 seats, CPI(M) will contest in 15 seats, CPI in 4, and Kerala Congress (M) will contest in one seat.
These names were approved by the respective district committees. However, these names will be considered for discussion with the state and central leadership before the final stamp of approval is given to the candidates.
CPI(M), being the second largest party on the left front is part of the India alliance at the centre. Thus, the seat won by the UDF as well as the LDF will go in the alliance kitty. However, the Marxist wants to improve their seat share in this Lok Sabha election.
With the CPI(M) being electorally decimated in West Bengal having no representation in Lok Sabha as well as state assembly and Tripura with just two Lok Sabha seats, the party’s last hope is Kerala.
CPI(M) Candidate List:
V Joy – Attingal
Thomas Isaac – Pathanamthitta
M Mukesh – Kollam
A M Ariff – Alappuzha
K J Shine – Ernakulam
Joyce George – Idukki
Prof C Raveendranath – Chalakudy
A Vijayaraghavan – Palakkad
K Radhakrishnan – Alathur
K S Hamsa – Ponnani
V Waseef – Malappuram
Elamaram Kareem – Kozhikode
M V Jayarajan – Kannur
K K Shailaja – Vadakara
M V Balakrishnan – Kasaragod
