By pitching heavyweight candidates against the Congress in nearly all Lok Sabha constituencies, the Left Democratic Front (LDF), particularly the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M], is unequivocally signalling that its alliance within the INDIA bloc holds little significance for the party in Kerala.
Even the Communist Party of India (CPI) has nominated one of its most formidable candidates, Annie Raja, in Wayanad possibly to take on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Ms. Raja is the general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women and is also a member of the national executive of the CPI.
On all accounts, party sources said, the CPI(M) aims to fiercely contest in as many seats in the State as possible, bettering its performance in the 2014 elections. Back then, the CPI(M) notched up six seats, including the one secured by late actor Innocent, who contested as an Independent supported by the LDF. Among them, four MPs hailed from Malabar — P. Karunakaran (Kasaragod), P.K. Sreemathi (Kannur), M.B. Rajesh (Palakkad), and P.K. Biju (Alathur). The sixth seat was won by A. Sampath from Attingal in the south.
Out of the 20 seats, the CPI(M) is contesting 15, while the CPI is contesting four, with the remaining one allocated to the Kerala Congress (M). Except for Wayanad, Malappuram, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram, all the other 14 seats are high-stakes battles for both the LDF and the UDF at the hustings, sources said.
The list of candidates indicates that the CPI(M) has shown no magnanimity towards accommodating the Congress party, which leads the national-level alliance aimed at unseating the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In Kasaragod and Kannur, the CPI(M) has nominated its district secretaries — M.V. Balakrishnan and M.V. Jayarajan — respectively. However, many party leaders believe that K.P. Satheesh Chandan, who was unsuccessful last time, would have been a better choice in Kasaragod.
Similarly, in Vadakara, the CPI(M) has fielded the popular leader often seen as Chief Minister material, K.K. Shailaja, to challenge K. Muraleedharan of the Congress. The party has chosen trade unionist and Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem to take on the three-time MP, M.K. Raghavan, in Kozhikode.
Even in Ponnani, the party has selected K.S. Hamsa, former State secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), with the objective of securing votes from a section of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama. This move has been cited as one of the factors prompting the IUML to swap the seat of the national organising secretary, E.T. Mohammed Basheer, with M.P. Abdussamad Samadani, in the neighbouring Malappuram. Another factor is the IUML’s gradual decline in Ponnani, evident from the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly polls in 2021.
The party has also strategically nominated Polit Bureau member A. Vijayaraghavan and Devaswom Minister K. Radhakrishnan to contest Palakkad and Alathur seats, respectively.
Thrissur, almost certain to witness a three-cornered contest like last time, will give a tough time to sitting MP T.N. Prathapan of the Congress. The BJP’s likely nominee is actor Suresh Gopi, while the CPI’s is V.S. Sunil Kumar. Similarly, in Chalakkudy, the party has nominated C. Raveendranath, former Minister of Education, known for his clean image and suaveness.
In Kottayam, where the aura of late Congress leader Oommen Chandy still lingers, sentimentality may favour UDF candidate Francis George over Kerala Congress (M) candidate Thomas Chazhikkadan, MP.
In Mavelikkara, the CPI has nominated C.A. Arun Kumar, and in Pathanamthitta, T.M. Thomas Isaac, former Minister for Finance and Central committee member of the party.
Lastly, the party’s Thiruvananthapuram district secretary and two-time legislator V. Joy, from Varkala, will contest from Attingal.
