Kerala elections 2016: CPI releases first list of candidates

Ten sitting MLAs, including former state minister and party leader in the present Assembly C Divakaran and two women legislators Geetha Gopi (Nattika) and party firebrand leader E S Bijimol (Peerumedu) are in the list.

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Meanwhile, 93-year-old CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan, party Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, three media personalities and noted Malayalam actor Mukesh are among the prominent probable candidates in the list of CPI-M.

Achuthanandan, state Opposition leader, is most likely to contest from Malampuzha in Palakkad district while Vijayan, former party state secretary, might try his luck from Dharmadan in the politically sensitive northern district of Kannur, and Mukesh from Kollam.

As per the seat-sharing agreement in LDF, CPI(M) will contest 93 seats, while the second largest partner CPI in 27.

The remaining 20 seats of the 140 assembly segments have been allotted to its minor constituents and parties supporting the Front from outside.

Media personalities M V Nikesh Kumar, Veena George and Sebastin Paul, also a former MP, will contest from Azhikode, Aranmula and Thirkkakara respectively.

Vijayan, who virtually kickstarted his campaign on Tuesday, said he was contesting as per the directives of the party.

“There is nothing unusual in moving from organisational set up to parliament system,” Vijayan, the party strongman and also a former state minister, said.

Party workers accorded a grand reception to Vijayan when he arrived at the Thalassery railway station on way to his constituency.

Flex boards and writing on walls in his support had already come up in the constituency, which was won by party candidate K K Narayanan by more than 15,000 votes in 2011.

Braving scorching heat, nonagenarian former Chief Minister Achuthanandan had visited Malampuzha segment two days back and addressed party workers at Pudussery.

Asked about his chances of victory, Achuthanandan quipped that it was for the people of Malampuzha to decide.

Achuthanandan had defeated Congress woman candidate Lathika Subash by more than 23,000 votes in 2011 and in 2006 he had won about 20,000 votes.