Amid delay in finalising candidates in several assembly segments in Kerala, the Congress has announced the first list of candidates in 55 constituencies.
The Congress has announced only three candidates in Thiruvananthapuram, which has a total of 14 seats. Congress is supposed to contest 12 seats in the district. The party has also not announced any candidates in Pathanamthitta district. This comes as multiple contenders are looking for tickets from these constituencies.
Congress state chief will contest from Peravoor while Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan will retain Paravur. Veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala will contest from Haripad while K. Muraleedharan is in the fray from Vattiyoorkavu.
Former home minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will contest from Kottayam while late CM Oommen Chandy's son Chandy Oommen has been fielded in Puthuppally.
MLA Eldhose Kunnappally is unlikely to be given a ticket, according to sources. Actor Ramesh Pisharody will contest from Palakkad, replacing Rahul Mamkoottathil who was removed from the party over allegations of sexual harassement.
A. Suresh, the former aide of late Kerala CM V.S. Achuthanandan, was given a ticket in Malampuzha. Achuthanandan was previously an MLA from the same constituency. Aisha Potty, who left CPI(M), has been fielded in Kottarakkara.
The Congress is yet to announce candidates in Shornur, Payyanur, Thaliparamba and Ambalappuzha. The delay in announcing candidates in these seats is seen as strategic as CPI(M) is facing rebellion in all four constituencies.
Here is the first list of Congress candidates in Kerala:
- Irikkur – Adv. Sajeev Joseph
- Dharmadam – Abdul Rasheed
- Thalassery – K.P. Saju
- Peravoor – Adv. Sunny Joseph
- Mananthavady - ST – Usha Vijayan
- Sulthanbathery - ST – I.C. Balakrishnan
- Kalpetta – Adv. T. Siddique
- Nadapuram – K.M. Abhijith
- Quilandy – Adv. K. Praveen Kumar
- Balusseri - SC – V.T. Sooraj
- Elathur – Mrs. Vidhya Balakrishnan
- Kozhikode North – Adv. K. Jayanth
- Nilambur – Aryadan Shoukath
- Wandoor - SC – A.P. Anil Kumar
- Thavanur – V.S. Joy
- Ponnani – Noushad Ali
- Thrithala – V.T. Balram
- Kongad - SC – K.A. Tulsi
- Malampuzha – A. Suresh
- Palakkad – Ramesh Pisharody
- Tarur - SC – K.C. Subramanian
- Chittur – Adv. Sumesh Achuthan
- Nemmara – T. Thankappan
- Alathur – K.N. Febin
- Manalur – T.N. Prathapan
- Ollur – Adv. Shaji J Kodankandath
- Thrissur – Rajan J Pallan
- Nattika - SC – Adv. Sunil Laloo
- Kaipamangalam – T.M. Nazar
- Puthukkad – K.M. Babu Raj
- Chalakudy – Saneesh Kumar Joseph
- Kodungallur – O.J. Janeesh
- Angamaly – Roji M. John
- Aluva – Anwar Sadath
- Paravur – V.D. Satheesan
- Ernakulam – T.J. Vinod
- Thrikkakara – Uma Thomas
- Kunnathunad - SC – V.P. Sajeendran
- Muvattupuzha – Dr. Mathew Kuzhalnadan
- Vaikom - SC – K. Binimon
- Kottayam – Thiruvanoor Radhakrishnan
- Puthuppally – Chandy Oommen
- Aroor – Mrs. Shanimol Usman
- Cherthala – K.R. Rajendra Prasad
- Haripad – Ramesh Chennithala
- Mavelikkara - SC – Adv. Muthara Raj
- Karunagapally – C.R. Mahesh
- Kottarakkara – Adv. P. Aisha Potty
- Pathanapuram – Jyothikumar Chamakkala
- Kundara – P.C. Vishnunadh
- Kollam – Adv. Bindhu Krishna
- Chathannoor – Sooraj Ravi
- Chirayinkeezhu - SC – Ramya Haridas
- Vattiyoorkavu – K. Muraleedharan
- Kovalam – M. Vincent
The elections will be held on April 9 and the results will be announced on May 4.
ECI announces transfer of officials
The ECI has directed the transfer of IAS and IPS officers in Kerala ahead of the elections. The commission has ordered the transfer of five officials, including the Returning Officer of the Dharmadam Assembly constituency—where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is contesting—and the Alappuzha District Collector. KAS officer Sachin Krishna has been appointed as the Kannur District Registrar General and will also serve as the Returning Officer for the Dharmadam constituency.
K. Inbasekhar, a 2015-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the new Alappuzha District Collector. He will also serve as the district election officer. Narayanan, a 2011-batch IPS officer, has been appointed as the Kozhikode District Police chief. Meanwhile, Thomson Jose is the new Thrissur Range DIG. KAS officer S. Vandana has been appointed as the Taliparamba Revenue Divisional Officer and will also serve as the Returning Officer for the Irikkur Assembly constituency.
The commission has directed that the officials assume charge tomorrow and should not be assigned any other election-related responsibilities until the completion of the election process. The transferred officers have also been instructed not to be given any election-related postings until the elections are over.
With inputs from Nirmal Jovial