Thiruvananthapuram: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has selected CPM state secretariat member Dr V Sivadasan and John Brittas, the media advisor of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as its nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.
The decision was taken by the CPM state secretariat on Friday, Manorama News reported.
Dr Sivadasan is the former national president of the Students' Federation India. Senior journalist Brittas is the Managing Director and Editor of Kairali TV, a CPM-backed media entity run by the Malayalam Communications Ltd.
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. A voting would have ensued if the CPM had named a third candidate.
The party secretariat decided that K K Ragesh, whose six-year tenure in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament is expiring in a few days, won't be given another chance.
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 be considered.
The names of Cherian Philip and Viju Krishnan were also considered by the party, sources claimed.
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 EC 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 this day.
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.
