Thiruvananthapuram: With prominent candidates of the UDF, LDF and BJP filing nomination papers on Monday, the election scene is hotting up in the state for the 20 Lok Sabha seats. Prof K.V.Thomas, Kodikkunnil Suresh, M.P.Veerendra Kumar, N.K. Premachandran and Jose K.Mani of the UDF and A.N.Radhakrishnan of the BJP, filed their nominations on Monday. Shashi Tharoor will be filing his papers from Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
K.V.Thomas and Radhakrishnan filed their nomination papers before the District Collector and Returning Officer M.G.Rajamanickam after 11 am. K.V.Thomas was accompanied by his election committee chairman and PWD Minister V.K.Ebrahim Kunju, DCC president V.J.Paulose, Benny Behnan, MLA, and Kerala Congress leader M.M.Francis.
K.V.Thomas went to the Collectorate after offering prayers at St Peter’s Church at his native place Kumbalangi and at the place where his father and mother have been laid to rest. He also visited KCBC secretary general Bishop Joseph Kariyil. Later he arrived at the Kakkanad INTUC office where hundreds of party workers received him and accompanied him to the Collectorate. MLAs Hibi Eden, Ludy Luiz and Anwar Sadath, GCDA chairman N.Venugopal, A.C.Jose and M.O.John were present.
BJP candidate Radhakrishan filed his papers at 11.55 am after offering prayers at Edappally Maha Ganapathi temple and Pavakkulam Mahadeva temple. Senior leaders P.S.Sreedharan Pillai, P.J.Thomas and Nedumbassery Ravi accompanied him. Radhakrishnan said the Modi wave sweeping the country would reflect in the state as well. Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress filed his nomination for the Mavelikkara seat before District Collector N.Padmakumar in Alappuzha. P.C.Vishnunath, MLA, and DCC president A.A.Shukkoor accompanied him.
UDF candidate N.K.Premachandran formally entered the electoral fray filing his nomination papers for the Kollam Lok Sabha seat. He submitted his papers before District Collector Pranab Jyothinath. Premachandran called on RSP leaders and went to the house of the late RSP leader Baby John before submitting his papers. Shibu Baby John was present at the Collectorate along with hundreds of Congress activists from the DCC office in suppxort of Premachandran. M.P.Veerendra Kumar of the Socialist Janata Dal Democratic, filed his nomination papers for the Palakkad constituency. Jose K.Mani also filed his nomination for the Kottayam seat. He was accompanied by a large number of supporters.
