Congress decision on Rajya Sabha candidate soon

Thiruvananthapuram: The  Congress will start official-level talks on the Rajya Sabha candidate  after the Chengannur result is  known on Thursday. Congress leader and Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Prof. P. J. Kurien, whose  tenure  ends on  July 1,  hopes  to get another term.

The terms of  KC(M)’s  Joy Abraham and CPM's C. P. Narayanan  also end on  July 1. The KC (M) seat will  go  to the  LDF this time owing to its  strength  in the Assembly.  The  UDF will have to be content  with  one seat.  Mr  Kurien, 77,  had been elected to Lok Sabha six consecutive terms from 1980 to 1999 and  nominated to Rajya Sabha twice  in  2005 and 2012.

However, there is a strong demand among the youth  to replace him.  A top ‘A’ group leader told DC that the KPCC leadership may not  support Mr Kurien for a third term.

“The KPCC president will hold a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee after the by-election result to choose the  Congress candidate,”  the  leader said.

The hopefuls  include AICC general secretary in-charge of New Delhi, P. C. Chacko, PAC member Benny Behanan and prominent ‘I’ group leader Babu Prasad who was fielded against veteran  M. P. Veerendra Kumar.  The lone woman leader in the PAC, Shanimol Usman,  is also being considered for Rajya Sabha. She was the first woman Congress leader from the state to become the AICC secretary. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala favours  Shanimol Usman along with his trusted lieutenant Babu Prasad, a source said.

The notification for the  Rajya Sabha election will be issued on June 4   and the election will be held on  June 21.