CPI-M announces list of 83 candidates for Kerala polls, drops 5 ministers

The CPI-M on Wednesday announced 83 candidates for the upcoming Kerala assembly election. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will contest from his sitting seat in Dharmadom in Kannur district.

Health Minister KK Shailaja, Labour Minister TP Ramakrishnan, Power Minister MM Mani, Devaswom Minister Kadakkampally Surendran, Fisheries Minister Mercykutty Amma and Local Self Government Minister AC Moideen have all got tickets.

As promised, the CPI-M is keen to promote young talent in the party. Thirty-three MLAs, including five ministers, are therefore not contesting this time. The ministers are Thomas Issac, G Sudhakaran, EP Jayarajan, AK Balan and C Raveendranath.

Also read: CPI-M will keep veterans out to blood new talent in Kerala election

The party is contesting from 74 seats. It will back nine independents. Candidates for two seats – Devikulam in Idukki district and Manjeshwar in Kasaragod – will be declared later.

Four candidates are under the age of 30, eight between 30 and 40, 13 between 40 and 50, 33 between 50 and 60 and 24 above 60 years of age. There are 12 women candidates and 42 graduates.

At a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, acting state secretary A Vijayaraghavan, who is also an LDF convener, stated that the party gives equal importance to organisational activities, and not solely parliamentary politics.

“The intention of the two-term rule [not to give tickets to those who have fought and won two consecutive elections] is not to exclude anyone but to include new faces,” he said.

Full List of Candidates

Thiruvananthapuram

Parassala CK Hareendran

Neyyattinkara K Ansalan

Vattiyoorkkavu VK Prasanth

Kattakkada IB Satheesh

Nemom V Sivankutty

Kazhakoottam Kadakampally Surendran

Varkala V Joy

Vamanapuram DK Murali

Attingal OS Ambika

Aruvikkara G Stephan

Kollam

Kollam M Mukesh

Iravipuram M Noushad

Chavara Dr V Sujith

Kundara J Mercykutty Amma

Kottarakkara KN Balagopal

Pathanamthitta

Aranmula Veena George

Konni KU Janeesh Kumar

Alappuzha

Chengannur Saji Cheriyan

Kayamkulam U Prathiba

Ambalappuzha H Salam

Aroor Daleema Jojo

Mavelikkara MS Arun Kumar

Alappuzha PP Chitharanjan

Kottayam

Ettumanoor VN Vasan

Kottayam K Anil Kumar

Puthupally Jaick C Thomas

Idukki

Udumbanchola MM Mani

Ernakulam

Kochi KJ Maxi

Vypin KN Unnikrishnan

Thrikkakara Dr J Jacob

Trippunithura M Swaraj

Kalamassery P Rajeev

Kothamangalam Antony John

Aluva Shelna Nishad

Ernakulam Yesudas Parappilly

Thrissur

Irinjalakuda R Bindu

Vadakkancherry Xaviour Chittilappilly

Manalur Murali Perunelli

Chelakkara K Radhakrishnan

Guruvayur NK Akbar

Puthukkad KK Ramachandran

Kunnamkulam AC Moideen

Palakkad

Alathur KD Prasenan

Nenmara K Babu

Palakkad CP Pramod

Malambuzha A Prabhakaran

Kongad K Santhakumari

Tharoor PP Sumod

Ottappalam K Premkumar

Shornur PP Mammykutty

Thrithala MB Rajesh

Malappuram

Thavanur KT Jaleel

Ponnani P Nandakumar

Kondotty KP Sulaiman Haji

Perinthalmanna KP Muhammed Musthafa

Nilambur PV Anwar

Mankada TK Rasheedali

Vandur P Mithuna

Malappuram Abdul Rahman

Kozhikode

Koilandi Kanathil Jameela

Perambra TP Ramakrishnan

Balussery KM Sachidev

Kozhikode North Thottathil Raveendran

Beypore PA Muhammed Riyas

Kunnamangalam PTA RAhim

Koduvalli Karat Razaq

Thiruvambady Linto Joseph

Wayanad

Mananthavady OR Kelu

Bathery MS Viswanathan

Kannur

Dharmadom Pinarayi Vijayan

Payyannur PI Madhusoodhan

Kalliyassery M Vijin

Azhikode KV Sumesh

Mattannur KK Shailaja

Thalassery AN Shamseer

Thaliparambu MV Govindan

Peravur Zakeer Hussain

Kasaragod

Uduma CH Kunjambu

Thrikkarippur M Rajagopalan

Manjeswaram