Malappuram: Completing the final phase of candidate selection for the upcoming Assembly elections, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Saturday announced its candidates in the remaining three constituencies — Tanur, Vallikkunnu and Kasaragod.

The Front has fielded C P Musthafa in Vallikkunnu, while Muhammed Sameer will contest from Tanur as an LDF-backed independent. In Kasaragod, the front has chosen Shanavas Padur as its independent candidate.

The delay in finalising candidates in these constituencies had triggered widespread speculation, particularly regarding the possible entry of leaders from the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) into the LDF fold. The uncertainty had fuelled political discussions in Malappuram and northern Kerala over potential crossovers and strategic candidatures.

Among the names that surfaced during the speculation was Riyaz Mukkoli, a Youth Congress leader from Malappuram, who was reportedly being considered as an LDF-backed independent candidate in Tanur. However, Riyaz Mukkoli later dismissed the reports, stating that he had declined the offer from the CPM.

Vallikkunnu, notably, is a seat allocated to the Indian National League (INL), a constituent of the LDF, and the selection of popular lawyer C P Musthafa comes as part of the front’s seat-sharing arrangement.

In Kasaragod district, candidate selection also saw last-minute changes. Shanavas Padur was initially under consideration for the Manjeswaram constituency. However, the LDF later decided to field Jayananda in Manjeswaram, shifting Shanavas Padur to Kasaragod instead as part of its final electoral strategy.

With these announcements, the LDF has now completed its candidate list across the state, setting the stage for an intense multi-cornered contest in several constituencies where candidate selection itself has become a key political talking point.