Kannur: All speculations regarding the United Democratic Front candidate from the Azhikode assembly seat in Kannur district are likely to end soon as the Muslim League may go with incumbent legislator K M Shaji despite his legal wrangles.

It is almost certain that Shaji will contest on behalf of the UDF and seek people's mandate from the constituency again.

Earlier Thiruvambady and Tirurangadi seats were considered for Shaji as his well-wishers in the party had lobbied for a safe seat to contest in the April 6 assembly elections as a consolation in the backdrop of his legal hassles.

The party reached the conclusion that only Shaji will be able to win from the constituency.

Shaji had wrested the seat from LDF in 2011 with a slender margin of 493 votes. M Prakashan was his opponent at that time. The Muslim League leader defeated M V Nikesh Kumar by a margin of 2287 in 2016.

The CPM district secretariat has recommended the name of former Kannur district panchayat president KV Sumesh for this assembly seat for the April 6 election.

Last year the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had initiated a probe against Shaji after a complaint was filed that he had taken bribe for sanctioning plus-two batch for the Azhikode High School.

Also, the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation had issued a notice to demolish a house in his wife's name for violating the building permit conditions. The Chirakkal panchayat offcials had carried out a survey on ED's orders.