Kollam: Sitting MP Premachandran will contest as the UDF candidate from Kollam in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) state secretary Shibu Baby John made the official announcement here on Sunday. 

RSP had hinted about its plans to field Premachandran from Kollam soon after UDF concluded the talks on seat sharing. Premachandran, a member of the RSP central secretariat, had won the Kollam seat in the general elections held in 1996, 1998, 2014 and 2019. 

Premachandran, a popular orator, is contesting his third consecutive Lok Sabha election from Kollam. In 2019, he defeated LDF candidate and incumbent finance minister K N Balagopal for 4,99,667 votes. LDF's MA Baby was his opponent in the 2014 elections. Premachandran secured the seat for a lead of 37,649 votes.

The RSP leader won the Sansad Maharatna award for best performance as a parliamentarian in the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024).

On Saturday, LDF named sitting MLA Mukesh as its candidate from Kollam for the general elections.

Recently, UDF accused LDF of carrying out a communally polarising bid to tarnish Premachandran's image for attending a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament.

Opposition Leader V D Satheesan accused the LDF of playing 'communal politics' by terming Premachandran as a covert Sangh enthusiast.