CPM Gears Up for Lok Sabha Polls: Candidate List Expected by February-end
With the impending Lok Sabha polls looming large, the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM] in Kerala engaged in a crucial meeting on Friday, discussing potential candidates for the high-stakes elections. The meeting, attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, State CPM Secretary MV Govindan, and party politburo members MA Baby and A Vijayaraghavan, addressed the significance of the polls, considering the party’s performance in the previous elections.
In the 2019 polls, despite ambitious claims, the CPM secured only one out of Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats. As discussions unfolded, it was revealed that CPM contests 15 seats, while the Communist Party of India (CPI) contests four, and the Kerala Congress (M) contests one.
The meeting featured deliberations on potential candidates from each of the 14 districts, with notable names such as former state ministers Thomas Isaac, KK Shailaja, AK Balan, and PK Sreemathi, along with sitting legislators Kadakampally Surendran, V Joy, and M Noushad. Additionally, actor-turned-legislator Mukesh and former legislators A Pradeep Kumar, Raju Abraham, Aisha Potty, M Swaraj, TV Rajesh, and Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem were also discussed.
Youth leader Wasif and politburo member Vijayaraghavan were among the probable candidates. The list also included the names of Dr. PK Jameela (wife of AK Balan), Sukanya (wife of James Mathew, a former party legislator), and Rekha Thomas, daughter of veteran Congress leader KV Thomas, who left the party.
Sources suggest that the list of probable candidates will be finalized and sent to the respective district party committees for recommendations. The district committee meetings are scheduled for the weekend, with the state committee meeting set for Wednesday. The official candidate list is expected to be published by February 27.
