CPI-M leader Elamaram Kareem to contest Rajya Sabha polls

Thiruvananthapuram, June 8 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Friday asked its central committee member and former state Minister Elamaram Kareem to contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha election.

The state secretariat of the CPI-M, which met here earlier in the day, zeroed in on Kareem, who has been a three-time legislator from Kozhikode and is a veteran trade union leader. He served as Industries Minister during the previous LDF government in the state.

Elections to the three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala that will fall vacant on July 1 are scheduled to be held later this month.

The party veteran, who turns 65 in July, expressed happiness over the decision and said he would do his best to serve the interests of the state.

His victory is a foregone conclusion, as of the three seats, the ruling Left coalition will be able to elect two of its candidates, while the Congress-led UDF will be able to elect one.

The second seat which the Left is certain to win, has been given to another former state Minister Binoy Viswan, who is from the Communist Party of India.