CPM announces candidates including Shailaja, Thomas Isaac for LS polls

Thiruvananthapuram: Former ministers in the previous stint of LDF government in Kerala are among those to contest for the alliance’s constituent CPM in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

CPI-M state secretary M V Govindan on Tuesday announced candidates including former ministers K K Shailaja and TM Thomas Isaac for 15 Lok Sabha seats.

The CPI-M’s list was released a day after ruling LDF’s alliance partner the CPI announced its four candidates on Monday.

Another constituent of LDF, Kerala Congress (MO), had earlier declared its candidate for Kottayam constituency.

M V Govindan exuded confidence of LDF candidates winning all the 20 seats in Kerala.

Govindan ruled out Rahul Gandhi factor having any impact this time round, unlike it helped the Congress bag a substantial number of seats in the 2019 polls.

Former Health Minister KK Shylaja is named for Vatakara constituency where the party workers took out a march to welcome the choice.

Senior leader and former minister Thomas Issac will contest in Patahanamthitta.

Actor and lawmaker M Mukesh has been named for Kollam seat where he will face the forbidding parliamentarian MP N K Premachandran.

While V Joy, MLA will try his luck in Attingal seat, sitting MP A M Arif will seek re-election in Alappuzha seat.

Trade union leader and Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem is named for Kozhikode constituency.

Govindan announced that Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan will contest in Alathur.

Others on the list are former MP Joyce George for Idukki, K J Shine for Ernakulam, former minister C Raveendranath for Chalakudy.

Notably, CPI-M politburo member A Vijayaraghavan is picked for Palakkad, DYFI leader V Vaseef for Malappuram, K S Hamsa will try luck in Ponnani.

CPI-M’s major bastion of Kannur will see party’s district secretary M V Jayarajan contesting for Kannur constituency.

The party’s senior leader M V Balakrishnan is in the electoral fray for Kasaragod constituency.