Big names discussed by Kerala CPI-M for Lok Sabha polls

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 16 (IANS) With the high stakes Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the ruling CPI-M in Kerala on Friday discussed names at a meeting of the top leadership of the party.

As the polls are a prestige issue for Pinarayi Vijayan, big names were discussed at the meeting that was attended by the Chief Minister, state CPI-M Secretary MV Govindan, party politburo members MA Baby and A Vijayaraghavan.

Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha seats and in the 2019 polls the CPI-M managed to win just one seat despite making tall claims earlier of doing well in the elections.

While the CPI-M contests 15 seats, the CPI fights on four and the Kerala Congress (M) on one.

Soon after the morning meeting of the party leadership the meeting of the state secretariat also took place.

According to sources, at the first meeting the names of likely candidates from each of the 14 districts that were discussed included giants like former state ministers Thomas Isaac, KK Shailaja, AK Balan, PK Sreemathi, sitting legislators Kadakampally Surendran, V Joy, M Noushad, actor-turned-legislator Mukesh and former legislators A Pradeep Kumar, Raju Abraham, Aiysha Potti, M Swaraj, TV Rajesh and Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem.

The names of youth leader Wasif and politburo member Vijayaraghavan were also discussed.

The other probable candidates being mulled include wives of top CPI-M leaders that included Dr PK Jameela (wife of AK Balan) Sukanya (wife of James Mathew, a former party legislator).

The name of Rekha Thomas, daughter of veteran Congress leader and former state and Union Minister KV Thomas who left the grand old party, was also considered for the Ernakulam seat.

According to CPI-M sources, once the list of probables is finalised, it is sent to the respective district party committees who mull it over and send recommendations back to the top party committee, which gives the final clearance.