Thiruvananthapuram: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) is set to announce today two candidates for the three seats falling vacant in the Rajya Sabha next week.
CPM nominees themselves are likely to contest. As per the current strength in the legislature the LDF can easily ensure the victory of two candidates. The third seat is likely to be won by the United Democratic Front and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has already announced P V Abdul Wahab as its candidate against the third vacancy.
All the three candidates are likely to win unopposed. The CPM is unlikely to name a third candidate and thereby force a voting.
Two names would be declared by the CPM state secretariat meet to be held on Friday morning. KK Ragesh, Cherian Philip, Viju Krishnan and John Brittas are in the reckoning.
Ragesh's six-year tenure in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament is expiring in a few days. He is likely to be given another chance by the CPM.
Viju Krishnan, who is based in Delhi, is the Joint Secretary of the Kisan Sabha, which played a role in the ongoing farmers' agitation in north India.
Brittas is the media advisor of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Cherian Philip is associated with the Left after parting ways with the Congress decades ago.
Both Ragesh and Viju had contributed in their own ways to the peasant agitation.
Earlier it was reported that the State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, who didn't contest the recent state polls owing to a party bar on consecutive electoral bids, could also be considered.
Election to three Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant from the State on April 21 will be held on April 30, the Election Commission of India had announced on Monday. The notification for the elections was issued on Tuesday.
The announcement was made after the High Court of Kerala ordered the completion of the election process by May 2. The results of the Assembly polls would be declared on May 2.
Of the three vacancies to arise, two have LDF representatives, and one of the UDF. They are Abdul Wahab of the IUML, K K Ragesh of the CPM and Vayalar Ravi of the Congress.
