Thiruvananthapuram: Mullappally Ramachandran, Ramesh Chennithala and Oommen Chandy sat at Indira Bhavan on Saturday morning to finalise candidates for three hours. But they could not reach a consensus. After the meeting, Mr Chandy left for Kottayam and remained tight-lipped.
Apart from the sitting MPs, the AICC screening committee meeting in the national capital on Monday at 10 am will decide on other seats.
It is reliably learnt that the sitting seats of Pathanamthitta (Anto Antony) and Ernakulam (K. V. Thomas) are also likely to see a change of candidate. Congress camp is abuzz with news that Mr Chandy will contest either from Idukki or Pathanamthitta.
With the Damocles’ sword hanging over Mr Antony’s head, there is Prof. P. J. Kurien, 77, a six-time Lok Sabha and three-time Rajya Sabha MP as a contender.
“With CPM fielding Aranmula MLA Veena George, Prof. Kurien has staked a claim. He's also heading to attend the screening committee," a senior leader told DC.
"The former Rajya Sabha deputy chairman feels since he's a Marthomite, he's a better chance to trounce the opponent from Malankara Orthodox church. Mr Chandy and Mr Kurien are not Catholics. But the majority of voters are Catholic.”
KPCC’s campaign committee chairman K. Muraleedharan MLA also has an invite to attend the screening committee meeting with K. C. Venugopal at the helm.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is said to have spoken to V. M. Sudheeran, a former state unit chief, to contest from Thrissur. He’s also attending the Delhi meeting. Mr Chandy and Mr Sudheeran have been reiterating that they do not wish to contest. In all likelihood, Mr Sudheeran, 70, will be asked to contest from Thrissur.
