Mindful of a resurgent BJP and the Congress bent on bettering its tally in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, the CPM-led LDF has gone for a mix of youth and experience in choosing the candidates for the civic body polls.

The LDF candidates for 93 wards in the corporation, released on Monday, feature former Mayor K Sreekumar, former Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar, ex-standing committee heads like Binu IP, Vanchiyoor Babu, S A Sundar and K S Sheela. The party's senior leaders in the district, like S P Deepak, R P Shivaji, will also be in the fray.

In 2019, Deepak, who was then the General Secretary of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) was demoted from the Vanchiyoor area committee after a row broke over an incident where the children of a family residing on the banks of a canal reportedly ate mud to battle starvation.

He also had to resign from the CWC after the party perceived that his statement regarding the incident had inflated the issue. Deepak contests from Pettah, where he will be up against BJP veteran P Ashok Kumar and UDF former councillor D Anil Kumar.

Party sources said that they are aiming for nothing less than 60 seats this year in the corporation. In the previous two elections, the CPM had dealt with a stiff fight from the BJP. Besides veterans, the LDF list features 13 candidates aged below 30.

Amshu Vamadevan, who has been a fiery presence in the present council as the councillor of Kesavadasapuram, will contest for a second term, this time from Muttada. Candidates in the remaining eight wards will be announced in the coming days. Magna B, 23, is the youngest candidate of the CPM, and she will contest from Alathara. LDF now has 51 seats inthe  Thiruvananthapuram corporation.

UDF's Mayor candidate K S Sabarinathan will face CPM's A Sunilkumar at Kowdiar. Among the key contests, Prasanth S (CPM) will represent the LDF in Kazhakkoottam, where Kazhakkoottam Anil has been fielded by the BJP. In Sasthamangalam, Amritha R (CPM) will take on former DGP R Sreelekha, contesting for the BJP. Adv Reena Williams (CPM) will face BJP candidate Padmini Thomas at Palayam.

Rakhi Ravikumar, the sitting councillor of Vazhuthacaud ward, will contest from the same seat where the Congress has fielded Neethu Raghuvaran. Kinavoor will see Thomas Cheriyan (Kerala Congress–M) contesting for the LDF, with Subash representing the Congress.

In Ulloor, Liju S (CPM) is the LDF nominee, while Johnson Joseph, a senior Congress leader with over three decades of experience in local body politics, will represent the UDF. In Pattom, Thripthi Raj S (CPI), daughter of Deputy Mayor P K Raju, will represent the LDF. Meanwhile, in Peroorkada, Vineeth V G (CPM) will be the LDF candidate.