Journalist Anita Pratap to join Aam Aadmi Party

Kochi: After well-known writer Sara Joseph, it is now the turn of globe-trotting journalist Anita Pratap to be part of the Aam Admi Party’s electoral bandwagon in Kerala. Anita has attended the interview of the AAP for being the party’s candidate at the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday.

Ms Anita, shot into fame with her reports during the war between Sri Lankan army and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam and interview with LTTE leader V Prabhakaran told reporters that “Though I live in Delhi, this is an opportunity to serve my people back home”.

AAP leaders however said that the party has not finalized her candidature for the seat. “She is amongst six or seven persons who attended the interview. We have not finalized the candidate yet”, said KP Ratheesh state spokesperson of the AAP told DC.

Ms Anita belonging to Kottayam district in the state had completed her schooling in Kolkatta and university education in Delhi. She started her career as a journalist in The Indian Express and worked for many other news organisations including Time Weekly.

The contest in Ernakulam is expected to be one of the most interesting in the state if AAP decided to field Ms Anita as the party candidate. The LDF has almost zeroed in on Christy Fernandez, retired IAS officer and secretary to former president Pratibha Patil as an independent candidate.

Mr. Fernandez told reporters that CPM had broached the idea and he is willing to contest as LDF candidate. Union Minister of state for food and civil supplies KV Thomas, the sitting MP from Ernakulam is almost confirmed to be the Congress candidate in Ernakulam.