KOCHI: The Central Kerala districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad are witnessing some key contests with Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy seeking reelections from Malampuzha and Puthuppally constituencies, but do not face any stiff challenge from V S Joy, KSU state president and Jaik P Thomas, an SFI leader, respectively.
At the northern end in Palakkad, the hottest contest happens at Palakkad constituency itself where sitting MLA Shafi Parambil of Congress faces a triangular contest from N N Krishnadas of LDF and Sobha Surendran of BJP. BJP rules Palakkad Municipality. In Chittoor constituency, K Achuhan, sitting MLA of Congress faces K Krishnankutty of Janata Dal (Secular). JNU leader Muhammed Mohsin of CPI faces sitting MLA C P Muhammed of the Congress at Pattambi.
The most interesting contest in Thrissur happens in Thrissur constituency where Congress leader Padmaja Venugopal is engaged in a triangular contest with V S Sunil Kumar of CPI who is the sitting MLA of Kaipamangalam and BJP spokesperson Adv B Gopalakrishnan.
In Ernakulam the key contests are happening in Tripunithura where Excise Minister K Babu of the Congress is locked in a triangular contest with M Swaraj of the CPM and Prof Thuravoor Viswambharan of the BJP. Former Idukki MP P T Thomas faces Sebastian Paul of CPM at Thrikkakara where Benny Behnan was denied seat. NSU (I) national president Roji M John is locked with Benny Moonjely of JD(S) in Angamaly where Jose Thettayil was denied seat by JD (S).
In Alappuzha, the key contest is happening in Chengannur where sitting MLA P C Vishnuthan of Congress faces rebel Sobhana George. K K Ramachandran Nair, a VS faction leader, is the LDF candidate there. T M Thomas Isaac, sitting MLA in Alappuzha, faces KPCC vice-president Laly Vincent while G Sudhakaran has the rival in Sheikh P Harris of JD(U). At Haripad Ramesh Chennithala faces P Prasad of CPI.
The fierce battle in Kottayam happens in Poonjar among sitting MLA P C George who is not supported by any front, P C Joseph of LDF, Georgekutty Augusty of Kerala Congress (M) and M R Ullas of BDJS. K M Mani faces Mani C Kappan (LDF) at Pala.
