The Left Democratic Front in Kerala on Tuesday said it would announce the leader of the opposition soon after the Congress announces its chief ministerial candidate.
Although the Politburo of the Communist Party of India met in Delhi on May 10-11, followed by a state-level party leadership meeting on Tuesday, no selection has been announced. Among the contenders for the post are outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former state finance minister KN Balagopal. Former ministers Saji Cherian and Palestinian Authority Mohamed Riyas are also said to be on the account.
“Let the Congress announce the prime minister first. This is more important as a government needs to be formed here. Ministers must also be named. Once the prime minister is announced, the CPI(M) will declare the leader of the opposition,” LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said.
He added that the CPI(M) candidate for LoP will be discussed within the LDF and finalized before the announcement.
On Monday, outgoing CM Vijayan moved into a rented house in Thiruvananthapuram’s Bakery Junction neighborhood after vacating his official residence at ‘Cliff House’. If it is renamed LoP, it will move to ‘Cantonment House’, the official headquarters of the LoP in the state capital.
Meanwhile, the LDP organizer said that the CPC’s request for the position of MP in the Assembly was not discussed within the coalition. He refused to address the public demand for CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam for the post.
