Thiruvananthapuram: Ignoring spontaneous protests by party cadres at a few places in the state over the likely candidate choices, the CPM state secretariat has forwarded a list of candidates to the politburo for its approval. The names of candidates will be announced on Wednesday after getting the politburo’s nod.
The list has adhered to the norm on barring those who have contested two consecutive times; thus 23 leaders including five ministers and the Legislative Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan have been excluded. The party hasn’t finalised its candidates in a few constituencies until Monday night.
The secretariat has reportedly nominated DYFI Palakkad district president P P Sumodh to contest from Tarur, denying a ticket to Dr P K Jameela, wife of Minister A K Balan. The move to field Dr Jameela had met with stiff opposition from a section of party members.
Palakkad district panchayat former president K Shanthakumari has been named as the contestant from Kongand. C P Pramod and P Mammikutty will contest from Palakkad and Shoranur, respectively.
Standing by its decision to field CITU national secretary P Nandakumar in Ponnani, the party ignored the support and protests favouring P Sreeramakrishnan and T M Siddique.
The state secretariat has decided to field an independent, Shaji George, in Ernakulam, rejecting the nomination of Yesudas Parappalliyil by the party district committee.
Former KPCC secretary M. S. Vishwanathan got the CPM secretariat’s nod to contest from Bathery. Kozhikode district panchayat president Kanathil Jameela will seek the mandate from Koyilandy.
Despite a strong demand for V K Madhu in Kattakkada, the CPM named G. Stephen to contest from the segment.
Candidates in Devikulam and a few constituencies in Malappuram will be finalised only after the knowing about the rival contestants.
