Thiruvananthapuram, 15 March (H.S.):The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday announced its list of candidates for the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, signalling the party’s readiness for the high-stakes political battle in the state. The announcement was made by CPM State Secretary M.V. Govindan at a press conference held at the AKG Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
Addressing the media, Govindan said the CPM would contest in 86 constituencies, including seats where the party will field independent candidates backed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). He noted that 56 sitting MLAs have been renominated, reflecting the party leadership’s confidence in the performance of its incumbent legislators.
Govindan confirmed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will once again contest the Assembly elections, making him the only member of the party’s Politburo to be fielded in the polls this time. The party leadership had earlier decided that at least one Politburo member should contest the elections, and Vijayan will represent that decision.
The candidate list includes 11 ministers from the present LDF government and 54 sitting MLAs, underscoring the party’s emphasis on continuity and administrative experience as it seeks a third consecutive term in power. The list also features four members of the CPM Central Committee and three members of the State Secretariat, indicating the involvement of senior party leaders in the electoral contest.
Among the prominent Central Committee members contesting the elections are K.K. Shailaja, K.N. Balagopal, P. Rajeev and T.P. Ramakrishnan. State Secretariat members P.A. Mohammed Riyas, V.N. Vasavan, Saji Cherian and K.K. Jayachandran have also been nominated as candidates.
The party has also included nine women candidates in the list, reflecting its attempt to maintain gender representation in electoral politics. In addition, six candidates will contest as independents with CPM support as part of the broader LDF electoral strategy.
In a notable development, former MLA Saju Paul will contest from Angamaly, while former Alappuzha MP A.M. Ariff has been fielded from Aluva.
During the press briefing, Govindan also highlighted several major development initiatives undertaken by the LDF government over the past five years, including the Wayanad township rehabilitation project and the Vizhinjam International Seaport project, which he described as landmark achievements.
With the announcement of the candidate list, the CPM has formally set the stage for an intense electoral contest in Kerala, where the ruling LDF will attempt to retain power against the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) and a growing challenge from the BJP-led NDA.
---------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
