Shanimol Usman right candidate' for Ottappalam, Shanta out

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress will field former AICC secretary Shanimol Usman in Ottapalam,  former MLA A. K. Mani in Devikulam,  Amritha Ramakrishnan in Kalliassery, Sajid Mouval in Payyannur and Dhanya Suresh in Kanhangad.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala selected the candidates after talks in the morning. Kaipamangalam  has been given to the RSP.

“There would not be any more changes in the list. The final declaration will be made by the AICC leadership,”  said Mr Sudheeran. Meanwhile, the AICC leadership has cleared the candidates’ list proposed by the KPCC leadership.

Earlier, KPCC general secretary Shanta Jayaram was chosen for Ottapalam, but due to mounting pressure from the local Congress leaders, she was dropped. Sources told DC that the Congress rejected the RSP demand for Payyanur. RSP’s A. P. Mohammed Nahas is likely to be the new candidate of  Kaipamangalam as K. P. Noorudeen was  not keen to contest.

“Though the Congress wanted  Kaipamanalam, the RSP  demanded Payyannur. But this was opposed by the Congress and instead offered Kalliassery seat,” said a  Congress leader.

KSU Thrissur district president Sobha Subin  was considered earlier for  Kaipamangalam. R. Rajaram, Congress Idukki mandalam president, was also removed as Devikulam candidate following opposition.

Efforts are also on to pacify  INTUC state president R. Chandrasekharan who has demanded trade union representation. Mr Sudheeran said the talks with the INTUC chief will continue. They are demanding  Tavanur. The party hopes to solve all the issues amicably on Sunday, he said.

Meanwhile, the local Congress leaders insisted that  Dhanya Suresh, Sajid Mouval and Amritha Ramakrishnan have  winning chances in Kanhangad, Payyanur and Kalliassery respectively.   The  AICC leadership had rejected these candidates when it  announced the list of 83 candidates earlier.

It is unfair, says Shantha Jayaram

KPCC general secretary Shantha Jayaram, who has been replaced by Shanimol Usman in Ottapalam, is unhappy. But R. Rajaram, who had started his campaign in Devikulam, is not unhappy about handing over the baton to KPCC vice-president A. K. Mani, his mentor.

Shantha Jayaram, who had contested in Shoranur  in the 2011 Assembly elections, lost  to K. S. Saleeha by more than 13, 000 votes. Though she had started her campaign in Ottapalam, the local leadership expressed their unhappiness over her candidature.

The KPCC leadership grabbed this opportunity to drop her and instead bring back former AICC secretary Shanimol into the  fray. She was considered first at Ambalapuzha and later at Aroor which was later given to JDU and Congress candidate C. R. Jayaprakash respectively at the last minute.  

“I was not informed by the KPCC leadership that I have been removed. I had already started my campaign in Ottapalam and it is  unfair that I have been ousted,” said Santha Jayaram.

Like her, Rajaram, 47, too had started his campaign  after the UDF convention held at Devikulam on  Wednesday last. But he told DC that he was  not peeved with the KPCC’s decision to remove him and instead field Mani there. There were reports earlier that Rajaram was not permitted to go inside the INTUC office  by the supporters of PCC vice-president Mani.

Party sources told DC that this was one of the main reasons why Rajaram was removed. “Mani chetan  is my leader. So I don’t feel sad  about dropping me.  I will campaign for him and make sure that UDF wins here,”  said Rajaram who was initiated into politics at the age of 19. Rajaram was  a tea estate labourer for over 26 years along with his trade union activities in INTUC.