CPI releases list of 25 candidates for Kerala Assembly polls, drops six sitting MLAs

The Communist Party of India released its list of 25 candidates for the April 9 Kerala Assembly elections, dropping six sitting legislators who completed three terms. The party retained its four ministers and signalled a generational shift within its leadership ranks

Thiruvananthapuram: With the Assembly elections in Kerala scheduled for April 9, Communist Party of India state Secretary Binoy Viswam on Sunday released the party’s list of 25 candidates, dropping six sitting legislators who had completed three consecutive terms.

The CPI, the second-largest constituent of the Left Democratic Front led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, said the move reflected its long-standing internal norm of leadership rotation and also indicated a generational shift within the party ranks.

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Those denied renomination include Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar and legislators P.S. Supal, E.K. Vijayan, V. Sasi, E.S. Jayalal, and former Minister E. Chandrasekheran.

At the same time, the party has retained all four of its ministers in the present government — G.R. Anil, J. Chinchu Rani, P. Prasad, and K. Rajan — asking them to defend their seats in the upcoming contest.

Three sitting legislators — E.T. Tyson, Muhammed Muhassin and V.R. Sunilkumar — have also been given another opportunity to seek a fresh mandate.

The other candidates announced by the party include Shafeer Kizhissery, Gita Gopi, Ajith Kolady, A. Leelakrishnan, C.A. Ajay Prasad, Govindan Pallikkappil, K.K. Valsaraj, K. Salimkumar, M.S. Thara, Manoj B. Edaman, Manzil Aboobacker, N. Arun, P. Pradeep, P. Vasantham, Priji Kannan, R. Rajendran, T.J. Jismon, and V.M. Mustafa.

The candidate list was finalised at a meeting of the party’s top leadership held here, as preparations for the Assembly elections gather pace across the state.

In the 140-member Assembly elected in 2021, the CPI had contested 23 seats as part of the Left Front arrangement and won 17 of them, a strike rate the party will be keen to maintain as it enters the new electoral battle with a partially refreshed line-up.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, the last date for filing nominations is March 23.

Scrutiny will take place on March 24, while March 26 is the final date for withdrawal of candidatures.

Polling across all 140 Assembly constituencies will be held on April 9, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.