THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress may field Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil from the Palakkad Lok Sabha seat which is now being represented by Mr M.B. Rajesh of the CPM.
The Congress has a claim over the seat with the exit of JD(U) led by Mr Veerendrakumar from the UDF. He has since then formed the Loktantric Janta Dal.
Mr Shafi Parambil, 35, has already been projected as ‘A’ group’s Youth Congress president to succeed incumbent Dean Kuriakose. Two time MLA from Palakkad, Mr Shafi is also general secretary of All-India Youth Congress and has won acclaim as a legislator.
Mr Shafi may face an uphill task in Palakkad if the CPM fields Mr Rajesh again. The BJP is also growing in the constituency. “Palakkad will witness a tight fight,” a youth MLA close to Shafi said.
“A preliminary decision on sitting MLAs contesting the LS election will be taken by senior leader A. K. Antony and the final decision rests with party president Rahul Gandhi. A clear picture would emerge soon,” said a senior Congress MLA.
Vattiyoorkavu MLA Muraleedharan and Konni MLA Adoor Prakash are keen on contesting the Wayanad and Attingal LS seats respectively with the blessings of the KPCC. Mr Adoor Prakash has already become active in the social and political fields in Attingal.
Wayanad seat has other hopefuls like All-India Mahila Congress secretary Fathima Rosna, who belongs to the same constituency, the lone woman member in the political affairs committee, Shanimol Usman, former KPCC president M. M. Hassan and senior leader Aryadan Muhammed’s son Aryadan Shoukath.
