Congress Announces First List Of 55 Candidates For Upcoming Assembly Polls In Kerala
Opposition Leader V D Satheeshan, PCC president Sunny Joseph, veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala are in the fray: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee on Tuesday announced its first list of 55 candidates for the upcoming state assembly elections.
The list features several prominent leaders and sitting MLAs, including Opposition Leader V. D. Satheeshan, KPCC president Sunny Joseph, and Ramesh Chennithala. Out of the 92 seats the Congress is contesting in Kerala, candidates have been named for only 55 so far, with the rest expected to be finalized by Wednesday.
Key constituencies like Kannur, Nemom, Aranmula, Chengannur, Konni, and Ranni are still awaiting their candidates. Kerala heads to the polls on April 9, with results to be declared on May 4.
The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) cleared the names of 55 candidates at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday, reportedly denying permission for sitting MPs to contest in the assembly polls. Apart from Satheeshan and Sunny Joseph, sitting MLAs who received tickets include Ramesh Chennithala, Roji M John, Uma Thomas, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Sajeev Joseph, Anwar Sadath, T J Vinod, P C Vishnunath, Chandy Oommen, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Saneesh Kumar Joseph, M Vincent, I C Balakrishnan, T Siddique, and C R Mahesh.
The party is likely to drop Perumbavoor MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly due to a pending sexual harassment case. Malayalam film actor Ramesh Pisharody will contest from Palakkad, while other prominent leaders in the fray include K Muraleedharan, V T Balaram, T N Prathapan, V P Sajeendran, and Bindu Krishna.
Muslim League announces 25 candidates
The Indian Union Muslim League has announced 25 candidates, including two women, for the upcoming assembly polls.
IUML state president Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal released the list in Malappuram. As the second-largest party in the UDF after Congress, the Muslim League’s prominent contenders include P K Kunhalikutty, K M Shaji, Najeeb Kanthapuram, N Shamsudheen, P K Basheer, P K Firoz, and Parakkal Abdulla.
The two women candidates are Fathima Thahliya from Perambra and Jayanthi Rajan from Koothparamba.
Senior leader M K Muneer, the sitting MLA from Koduvally, was left out of the list reportedly due to health concerns.