Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate M.V. Shreyams Kumar and United Democratic Front nominee Lal Varghese Kalpakavady filed their nominations for the election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat to be held on August 24.
The seat fell vacant following the death of socialist veteran M.P. Veerendrakumar. With 89 LDF members, it would be cakewalk for Mr. Kumar. Though the UDF has 43 members, split in the Kerala Congress (M) may embarrass the UDF. Equally significant is the votes of Independent member P.C. George and lone Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member O. Rajagopal.
After filing the nomination, Mr. Kumar told reporters that he would uphold the fight of the Left and secular forces in Parliament. Asked about the stance of the Kerala Congress (M) faction led by Jose K. Mani, Mr. Kumar said the front had not held any talks with them. The LDF had sufficient strength to win the election, he said.
Transport Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader A.K. Saseendran and Kerala Congress (B) leader K.B. Ganesh Kumar supported the candidature of Mr. Kumar.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and Kerala Pradesh Congress president Mullappally Ramachandran who met reporters with Mr. Varghese said the UDF was putting up a symbolic fight to register its protest against the anti-people policies of the State government. Mr. Varghese is a nominee of farmers and the fight was aimed at raising their plight, they said.
