THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the chances of winning Kottayam remote, the JD(S) is trying hard to get prestigious Thiruvananthapuram seat.
Water sources minister K. Krishnankutty is leading the bilateral talks with CPI and other LDF constituents to explore the possibility of swapping party’s Kottayam seat with Thiruvananthapuram. The party believes that senior leader A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar has a fair chance of winning the seat.
In 2009, Nadar secured 86,000 votes contesting on the BSP ticket. The BSP has no presence in the constituency and the votes collected by Maya-wati’s party were on the strength of the Janata Dal leader’s influence.
“We have arrived at an understanding that the party should demand the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. But no formal decision has been taken yet,” said former minister Mathew T. Thomas. When asked whether the CPI will concede the seat, “I can’t say at the moment.”
He ruled out the possibility of contesting from Kottayam again. “Last time I had no other option but contest from Kottayam,” he said.
Meanwhile, CPI central secretariat member Pannayan Raveendran said there was no question of parting with Thiruvannathapuram seat. “Anyone can expr-ess interest about contesting a particular seat. But Thiruvananthapur-am constituency is ours,” he said.
The CPI leader said his party would field a formidable candidate with high chances of victory. “As a front the recent expansion of LDF has brought in parties which were with UDF and NDA earlier. Our government’s performance, anti-Centre sentiments and the current political situation will surely get translated into votes,” he added.
The CPI leader said district committees of Thrissur and Thiruvanant-hapuram will submit a list of three probables each for the two constituencies. For Mavelik-kara –the list has to come from Kottayam, Alappu-zha and Koolak and Wayanad from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Malappuram.
The list will be discussed at the state executive and state council on March 3 and 4.
Subseq-uently a draft list of candidates for the four seats will be submitted before the Central secretariat and national council in Delhi on March 5, 6 and 7. The candidates will be announced by the central leadership in the first week.
