THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KPCC leadership has decided to field all the sitting MLAs in the Assembly elections creating resentment among the party workers.
After a meeting with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, party chief V. M. Sudheeran told reporters that the first list to be submitted to the AICC leadership contains the name of the sitting MLAs.
Culture Minister K. C. Joseph (Irikkur in Kannur) and Mr Therambil Ramakrishnan(Thrissur) have been contesting for six times. Congress leaders belonging to these districts have opposed their candidature.
The list prepared by the KPCC leadership does not keep the communal balance, said a senior leader. “Chandy has reportedly told senior Congress leader Vakkom Purushothaman that Nemom Assembly seat will be earmarked for an Ezhava candidate. When Ezhava community is the largest community in the state, the CM is offering just a seat for them. If this is the way KPCC is moving forth, the results of 2011 Assembly election in Kollam district would be repeated in Thiruvananthapuram district as well,” he said.
He also said that KPCC vice-president M. M. Hassan has been included in the list from Vamanapuram which has a sizable number of Ezhava voters. During the previous Assembly elections, Congress had not won a single seat from Kollam district with RSP winning two seats.
Meanwhile, Mr T. N. Prathapan MLA has stated that candidates should not be considered as per group equations. He feared that it would affect the prospects of the party. Both Youth Congress and Mahila Congress have demanded 25 percent representation in the elections. They have already submitted their list to the AICC leadership.
A UDF meeting is scheduled at Cliff House on Wednesday where seat-sharing between the allies would be discussed.
