Thiruvananthapuram: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday announced the final list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The decisions were made by the CPM state committee after considering recommendations from the district committees. The state secretariat convened in the morning to finalise the list, which will be made official after a discussion with the national leadership.

Keeping the poll drubbing of 2019 in mind, the CPM has fielded its strongest candidates to add vigour to the fight. The candidates' list comprises one minister, one politburo member, four central committee members and three district secretaries.

CPM veteran and star performer of the first Pinarayi cabinet K K Shailaja will contest from the Vadakara constituency. Former minister Prof C Raveendranath will contest from Chalakudy, while former Muslim League leader K S Hamsa will contest from Ponnani as an Independent candidate with CPM backing. In Ernakulam, KSTA leader K J Shine, who is a teacher, will represent the party in the polls. The Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Kasaragod party district secretaries are also in the fray.

The CPM is contesting in 15 out of 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. This time too, the party has stuck to its successful method of fielding Independent candidates from Malappuram. Hamsa's popularity in Ponnani gave him the edge while finalising the list. Four Assembly constituencies in Ponnani belong to the LDF.

K J Shine's candidacy was part of meeting the women's reservation quota in the list. Shailaja's mission would be to wrest Vadakara from K Muraleedharan. Both A N Shamseer and P Jayarajan lost from Vadakara in the last two polls. While Minister K Radhakrishnan is being fielded from Alathur, M V Jayarajan will represent the party in Kannur.

CPM State Committee's final list of candidates:
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