Thiruvananthapuram: The leadership of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in Kerala is apparently dispirited a day after announcing candidates for 21 out of the 25 constituencies it has been allowed by the Left Democratic Front for next month's state polls.
Several top office-bearers expressed their unease over the raw deal meted out to them by the CPM, which heads the front, in terms of constituencies allowed and the number of assembly seats allotted. Adding to the concern over the state leaders, youth and women leaders in the party are upset over their low representation in the candidate list.
CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran, however, clarified that the issue would be resolved in the remaining seats to be declared. (Chadayamangalam, Haripad, Paravur and Nattika are the constituencies were a decision on the candidate is awaited.)
Women members registered their protest in the state executive committee and state council for their low representation in the candidate list. Of the 21 candidates announced on Tuesday, C K Asha from Vaikom is the only woman candidate.
The women members said the party had given tickets to four women in the last elections and they had expected more representation this time. They had fancied sitting MLA Geetha Gopi would be offered a chance again from Nattika and J Chinju Rani could have been offered the Chadayamangalam seat.
Chandrashekharan's nomination
A state council member from Kanhangad criticised the decision to field revenue minister E Chandrashekharan from the constituency again. However, Kanam defended stating that Chandrashekharan's performance as CPI legislature party leader was good.
The other three CPI ministers in outgoing Pinaryi Cabinet - food and civil supplies minister P Thilothaman, agriculture minister V S Sunil Kumar and forest minister K Raju - were kept out of contest complying with the maximum three-term norm.
Among sitting MLAs V Sasi, R Ramachandran, G S Jayalal, Chittayam Gopakumar, C K Asha, Eldoh Abraham, E T Tyson, Muhammad Muhsin and E K Vijayan will seek people’s mandate again.
The district secretaries in the fray this time are G R Anil (Thiruvananthapuram) an K P Suersh Raj (Palakkad). As per the party's new norm these leaders will have to step down from the post of secretary ahead of electoral contest.
The CPI did not take into consideration the internal party problems and disciplinary action while finalising the candidates. Though P S Supal, the Punalur candidate, and Jayalal, the Chathannoor MLA, have faced disciplinary action, the respective district leadership had recommended them as the first preference candidates in their respective constituencies which was accepted by the state council.
The candidates:
Karunagappally – R Ramachandran
Chirayinkeezhu - V Sasi
Punalur – P S Supal
Vaikom – C K Asha
Nedumangand – G R Anil
Chathannoor – G S Jayalal
Kodungalloor – V R Sunil Kumar
Ollur – K Rajan
Kaipamangalam – E T Tyson
Peerumedu – Vazhoor Soman
Adoor – Chittayam Gopakumar
Cherthala – P Prasad
Muvattupuzha – Eldo Abraham
Nedumangad - G R Anil
Thrissur – P Balachandran
Mannarkkad – Suresh Raj
Kanhanghad – E Chandrashekharan
Pattambi – Muhammed Muhsin
Nadapuram – E K Vijayan
Manjeri – Dibon Nassar
Thirurangadi – Ajith Koladi
Ernad – K T Abdul Rahman
Two lost seats
Resentment over not getting Changanassery or any other seat in return of Kanjirappally was evident during the CPI state council meet the other day.
Kottayam District secretary C K Sasidharan pointed out that the CPI had contested in two seats in Kottayam district every time after the party split. Then another member suggested that if only one seat was allotted in Kottayam, then it was better to give up that too and back the LDF candidates.
The CPI had to give up the Kanjirappally seat but had sought another seat in Kottayam district in return.
During the meet, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran explained that demands for any seat other than Changanassery, Kottayam or Puthuppally were made in return of Kanjirappally. Several discussions were held on this. The CPM had earlier itself reached an agreement on handing over its Changanassery seat to the Kerala Congress (Mani). And the CPM refused to back off from this, he added.
"Kanjirappally is the constituency where I cast my votes. But we have been losing that seat for 30 years. After my victory, none from the CPI has won. Now, it is the sitting seat of Kerala Congress," Kanam explained.
During the press meet, Kanam also pointed out that Changanassery was not part of the CPI's share during seat divisions in the LDF.