Thiruvananthapuram, March 17 – The Indian National Congress released its first list of 55 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections on Tuesday, signaling a strategic combination of experience, continuity, and high-profile newcomers as the party seeks to regain power in the state.
Kerala will go to the polls on April 9.
Out of the 55 candidates announced, 19 are sitting MLAs, indicating a cautious reliance on incumbency despite concerns about anti-incumbency sentiment. The Congress currently has 22 MLAs in the outgoing Assembly, although three sitting members are not included in the list.
Senior leader K. Babu, who had previously announced his retirement from electoral politics, has been excluded, while expelled leader Rahul Mamkootathil remains sidelined due to serious criminal allegations. Two-time MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly has also not been included, with sources indicating that he has been summoned to Delhi, keeping speculation alive ahead of the second list.
The Congress, which leads the United Democratic Front (UDF), traditionally contests around 92 of the 140 Assembly seats. Party leaders indicated that a second list is likely to be released on Wednesday.
Sources said the delay in finalizing the first list stemmed from internal deliberations over accommodating senior Lok Sabha members. While the state leadership is inclined to keep MPs out of the race, veteran leaders K. Sudhakaran and Adoor Prakash have reportedly expressed interest in returning to state politics.
In an effort to broaden its appeal, the party has fielded popular film actor and stage artiste Ramesh Pisharody from Palakkad.
The list also reflects the Congress's strategy of capitalizing on high-profile defections from the CPI(M). Former three-time CPI(M) legislator Ayisha Potti, who recently joined the Congress, has been nominated from Kottarakkara to challenge Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal.
Another former Left sympathizer, A. Suresh, has been fielded from Malampuzha, a constituency long associated with veteran leader V.S. Achuthanandan.
The list includes former MPs K. Muraleedharan and Ramya Haridas. In a key contest, emerging leader Abdul Rasheed has been nominated to challenge Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Dharmadom.
With a mix of experience, defections, and fresh faces, the Congress appears to be positioning itself for a high-stakes electoral battle, even as crucial decisions remain pending ahead of the next round of candidate announcements.