Congress list likely by weekend, candidates for five seats decided

New Delhi: Senior Congress leaders who left for New Delhi yesterday returned without finalising the candidate list for Kerala.

The state leadership will have to wait for discussions during Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Kerala on March 13 and 14, and screening panel’s sitting on 15. The names thus decided will be conveyed to central election committee which will announce the list officially on March 16.

The screening committee has however made a final call on five seats. Three sitting MPs Shashi Tharoor, Kodikkunnil Suresh and MK Raghavan will keep Thiruvananthapuram, Mavelikkara and Kozhikode respectively. K Sudhakaran will contest from Kannur and Adoor Prakash from Attingal.

Prakash’s name was suggested for Alappuzha after KC Venugopal decided not to contest. However, this was scrapped after Prakash had gone ahead with initial preparations for Attingal. However, Venugopal may be asked to contest from Wayanad.

Uncertainty prevails regarding 11 constituencies including sitting seats Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta. High Command has a big challenge deciding these two seats. Even when Oommen Chandy and KPPC president Mullappally Ramachandran have shown no interest in contesting, most senior leaders feel they should. Rahul will take a final call on them.

The screening committee consisting of general secretaries Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and Mullappally has been holding talks with senior leaders.

Names doing rounds

Kasaragod: B Subbaiah Rai or PC Vishnunath.

Vadakara: T Siddique (if Mullappally opts out)

Wayanad: Shanimol Usman, T Siddique, MM Hassan, T Asaf Ali or KP Abdul Majid.

Palakkad: VK Sreekandan or Lathika Subhash

Alathur: AP Anil Kumar, Ramya Haridas or A Sreelal

Thrissur: TN Prathapan, KP Dhanapalan or Jose Velloor

Chalakudy: PC Chacko or Benny Behanan

Idukki: Joseph Vazhakkan or Dean Kuriakose (if Chandy opts out)

Alappuzha: Shanimol Usman being considered despite a certain Wayanad candidacy. Venugopal’s stance crucial. VM Sudheeran yet to indicate interest.