Thiruvananthapuram, March 15 – The stage is set for a tough battle in Kerala after political parties rushed to finalize candidates following the Election Commission's announcement of the Assembly election schedule on Sunday, with Left parties being the first to release their lists.
With the Model Code of Conduct now in effect and a shortened window for campaigning for the April 9 polls, the Congress and the BJP are expected to announce their lists shortly to keep pace with the major Left parties, who have already released their first set of candidates. Kerala has 140 Assembly seats.
The CPI was the first to announce its list of 25 candidates minutes after the poll schedule was declared in the evening.
The party has fielded four incumbent ministers – G R Anil, J Chinchurani, K Rajan, and P Prasad – in the polls.
The list also includes legislators who have completed two consecutive terms, including K Rajan, Mohammed Muhasin, E T Taison, and V R Sunil Kumar.
Poet Alankode Leelakrishnan will contest from Thrissur.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam welcomed the announcement of the election schedule and said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) would contest the polls unitedly.
He, however, noted that campaigning during the peak summer would be a tough task and said the party does not have the financial resources to spend lavishly for a prolonged campaign.
Soon after, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan announced the party’s list of 81 candidates, which includes Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and 11 of his cabinet colleagues.
As many as 56 sitting MLAs of the party will be testing the election waters again.
Govindan said Vijayan is the only member of the CPI(M) Politburo contesting the polls.
However, Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer and senior leader M M Mani from Idukki district did not find a place on the list.
While Vijayan will contest again from his sitting seat Dharmadam in Kannur district, senior leader K K Shailaja has been shifted to Peravoor from her current constituency Mattannoor.
Govindan said the LDF government had ensured pro-people welfare and development in all sectors and claimed that the past decade had witnessed the implementation of several projects that were once considered impossible.
He also said the last 10 years had been a period without communalism and conflicts in the state and that the selection of candidates was carried out in a democratic manner.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said seat sharing in the Front has almost been completed and clarity is required only in a few seats.
"Even though the seat-sharing consensus has been reached in the Front, candidates are being decided by the respective parties. They will announce candidates separately," he said.
Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan said the Congress would announce its candidates soon.
He said there are no differences within the Congress or the UDF over seat sharing.
"The time of dividing seats based on internal groups has ended. In no districts were seats divided on the basis of any groups," he said.
He said candidates are being selected based on their winnability.
When asked whether the poll schedule was announced earlier than expected, Satheesan said they had anticipated elections around April 18.
"The only issue is that new candidates will get limited time for campaigning. But it is not a major problem," he said.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the campaign period is very short as per the election schedule.
"In between there will be Holy Week and the election is scheduled a few days before the Vishu festival. In practical terms there are very limited days for campaigning," he said.
Venugopal, however, said the Congress is ready for the election.
"UDF will strongly move forward to end the misgovernance of the LDF in Kerala. The people of Kerala are awaiting it," he said.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said people in the state are fed up with the alleged misgovernance of the LDF and the UDF and are eager for a change.
"It is time for change. It is time to create a new Kerala. NDA’s slogan is that the unchanged will be changed and Kerala will develop," he said.
He said NDA allies would visit every household and present their development plans to the people in the coming days.
"We will contest in all 140 seats. There are no differences within the NDA. We will soon announce the candidates," he said.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) state president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said only 25 days remain to bring about a change of government.
"It is not a time for rest. Everyone should move forward with vigour. For the UDF, it is the final phase after victories in the bypolls and local body elections," he said.
Thangal also said the Muslim League would soon announce its candidates as the final round of discussions would conclude shortly.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) candidates, including Ministers V Sivankutty and O R Kelu, carried out rallies and roadshows in their respective constituencies soon after the party announced its candidates.
"I know each and every house in the constituency. However, I will start with a door-to-door campaign meeting voters directly. There is no doubt that Nemom will stand with the LDF," Sivankutty said.
Kelu held a rally in Mananthavady in Wayanad district.
"I hope to win again from here. I had won from here earlier when the UDF was predicted to have an upper hand. It will happen again this time," he said.
In the outgoing Assembly, ruling CPI (M) has 61 members, while the Congress' strength stands at 22.