Pinarayi Vijayan will contest from Dharmadam

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM has drawn on the star power and decided to field actor K.P.A.C. Lalitha from Vadakkancherry in Thrissur district. Though a surprise choice, the CPM hopes to cash in on her popularity among all sections of people, especially the women.

Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan will contest from Dharmadam and Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan from Malampuzha.  At the secretariat meeting on Sunday,  general secretary Sitaram Yechury rejected the opposition to Mr Achuthanandan’s candidature raised by Mr M. M. Lawrence, Mr C. N. Mohanan and Mr N. R. Balan, saying the people wanted VS to contest.  

Mr P. Rajeev, Mr V. N. Vasavan and Mr Saji Cherian are not in the list.  Those contesting include T. N. Seema (Vattiyoorkavu), C. Sivankutty (Nemom), B. Sathyan (Attingal), P. Biju (Aruvikkara), G. Sudhakaran, S. Sharma, P. Sreeramakrishnan, Kadakampally Surendran, C. K. Saseendran, A. K. Moideen, A. Pradeep Kumar, A. M. Arif and Saju Paul. The remaining candidates will be finalised later. A decision will be taken on Monday about the seats  where more than one candidate have been included.

The CPM has decided to revise the  list in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts to include more youths and winnable faces. The list considered by the secretariat meeting had mostly  senior leaders for  Thiruvananthapuram district. Sources told Deccan Chronicle that there was no representation for youths in Kollam.