The CPI(M) in the State might well spring a surprise on the electorate this election season by fielding Polit Bureau member M.A. Baby, MLA, in Kollam, actor Innocent in Chalakudy, and former civil servant Christy Fernandez in Ernakulam.
The CPI(M) State secretariat, which met here on Wednesday, spent an entire day for candidate selection. The party has sent out the message that it is leaving Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta vacant so that if at all the Kerala Congress (M) wishes to break ranks with the ruling United Democratic Front, there could be some options that they can look at. The move to field Mr. Baby, if finalised, is perhaps indicative of the party’s plans for the next Parliament. Discussions in the CPI(M) seemed to suggest that the party would field its four sitting MPs, P. Karunakaran in Kasaragod, M.B. Rajesh in Palakkad, P.K. Biju in Alathur, and A. Sampath in Attingal.
Some of the other possible contestants are Central committee members P.K. Sreemathy in Kannur and A. Vijayaraghavan or Elamaram Karim in Kozhikode, State committee member T.K. Hamsa in Malappuram, youth leader A.N. Shamseer in Vadakara, and party district secretary C.B. Chandrababu in Alappuzha.
CPI selectionState leadership of the CPI is scheduled to go in for candidate selection for the four seats that it is set to contest. The Thiruvananthapuram district council has proposed the names of CPI State secretary Pannian Ravindran, CPI legislature party leader C. Divakaran and party district secretary P. Ramachandran Nair for the Thiruvananthapuram seat. However, the final choice could be someone from outside this list.
Names figuring prominently for Thrissur are those of former Minister K.P. Rajendran and AIYF leader K. Rajan. For the Wayanad seat, the party is former Deputy Speaker Jose Baby and All India Kisan Sabha leader Sathyan Mokeri. Former Sooranad panchayat president Soumya is a strong possibility for Mavelikara, the two other probable names in discussion being those of former Kollam district panchayat president K. Devaki and former MP Chengara Surendran.
