CPM to fight 86 of 140 Kerala seats, LDF confident of a hat-trick | India News
Tapuram/ Kochi: The CPM on Sunday announced that it will contest in 86 assembly seats in Kerala and named 81 candidates, including six CPM-backed independents and 10 women. Soon after, many CPM candidates hit the streets, organized rallies and started campaigning on Sunday itself. CPM state secretary, MV Govindan said that 75 of the 86 candidates would be from the party. Independent candidates in five constituencies – Koduvali, Kottakkal, Palakkad, Kondoti and Tirur – will be announced later, he added. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will contest from Dharmadom. Eleven of his cabinet colleagues and 54 sitting MLAs will also contest again. Govindan also said that a decision on the Thiruvananthapuram central candidate would be taken after the court’s verdict against MLA Antony Raju on Monday. Party-backed independent T Ashok Kumar will contest from Mahe in Puducherry. He said the LDF was confident of retaining the officer for the third consecutive term, as it was important to build a Nava Keralam and counter communal forces. However, VD Satisan of the opposition Congress on Sunday claimed that the UDF would form the government in the state. He said that the complete list of UDF candidates will be published on Monday. He said at a press conference in Kochi, selection of candidates is focused on victory. “Team UDF is approaching the elections with confidence and hope. The front will return to power in Kerala with more than 100 seats,” said Satisan. He predicted the success of the UDF’s ‘Mission 26’, saying that ‘Mission 25’ has already secured four corporations and seven district panchayats, with two more within reach. Although the CPM is trying to project a narrative that its MLAs are popular, individual popularity does not determine electoral success; The political situation does that, Satisan said.
