The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday released its list of 83 candidates for the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled to take place next month, PTI reported. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and six of his Cabinet ministers are among the candidates that the party has fielded.
Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, Industries and Sports Minister EP Jayarajan, Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran, Law Minister AK Balan and Education Minister C Raveendranath have not been given election tickets. The party stuck to its rule to not provide seats to candidates who have contested and won elections twice. A total of 33 sitting MLAs did not get election tickets.
Vijayan will contest the elections from Dharmadom in Kannur district. Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja will contest from Mattannur, while Power Minister MM Mani will fight from Udumbanchola in Idukki district, The News Minute reported.
Labour Minister TP Ramakrishnan will fight elections from Perambra in Kozhikode district, and Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma will contest from Kundara in Kollam district.
Also read: Kerala polls: Some Union ministers are breaking Model Code of Conduct, Pinarayi Vijayan writes to EC
Devaswom Minister Kadakkampally Surendran was fielded from Kazhakoottam in Thiruvananthapuram. Local Self-Government minister AC Moideen will contest elections from Kunnamkulam in Thrissur.
The CPI(M) has fielded 12 women candidates and nine independents for the Assembly elections. The party will contest on 85 seats, The Hindu reported.
CPI(M) Acting State Secretary A Vijayaraghavan said that the party will announce candidates for two seats later.
Elections for 140 Assembly seats in Kerala will take place on April 6. The votes will be counted on May 2. The Bharatiya Janata Party is hoping to challenge the Left Democratic Front government in the state.
BJP has roped in “metro man” Elattuvalapil Sreedharan. However, the party has not yet clarified whether he will be the chief ministerial candidate in Kerala.
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