Thiruvananthapuram, February 21 – The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is expected to decide on the initial list of potential candidates on Saturday at its 17-member State Secretariat meeting, which commenced here. This meeting marks the initial stage of the party's internal selection process as it prepares for the upcoming Assembly elections.
According to party procedure, the Secretariat will first decide which of its own members should contest.
Once a decision is reached, the proposed names will be forwarded to the respective district committees for approval.
After obtaining approval at the district level, the list will be sent back to the State leadership for finalization.
The current Secretariat includes Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and five State Ministers – P. A. Mohammed Riyas, Saji Cherian, K. N. Balagopal, P Rajeev, and V N Vasavan.
Other key members include State Secretary M V Govindan, former Health Minister K. K. Shailaja, and Left Democratic Front convenor T. P. Ramakrishnan – all sitting legislators.
Senior leaders Thomas Isaac, E P Jayarajan, M V Jayarajan, M Swaraj, K K Jayachandran, Puthelethu Dineshan, P K Biju, and C N Mohanan are also part of the panel.
Central Committee members C S Sujatha, K S Saleekha, and P Sathi Devi are also likely to be considered.
It remains to be seen whether veteran leaders such as P K Sreemathi and Elamaram Kareem will be included in the final list.
With the CPI(M) aiming for a third consecutive term, the leadership is proceeding cautiously after its worst setback in recent years at the December local body polls, where it lost ground in several traditional strongholds.
The party currently governs just one of the State's six Corporations, a sharp decline from the five it controlled after the 2020 local body elections.
Incidentally, in the 2021 Assembly polls, the CPI(M) contested in 75 of the 140 seats in the Kerala Legislative Assembly and won 62.
