With Monday being the last day for filing nominations for the Kerala Assembly elections, the poll picture in the state became clear on Sunday as the three major fronts finished fielding their candidates for all the 140 assembly constituencies.
In the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will have 75 candidates vying for its election symbol of the hammer-sickle star, followed by the Communist Party of India with 24 candidates and the Kerala Congress (M) with 12 candidates.
While Left-backed independents contested 14 seats, smaller parties include the Indian Socialist Janata Dal (3), Nationalist Congress Party (SP) (3), RJD (3), INL (2) and one each for the Congress (S), Kerala Congress (B) and RSP (L).
Prominent candidates for the LDF include CPI(M)’s Pinarayi Vijayan (Dharmadam), KK Shailaja (Peravoor), PA Mohammad Riyas (Beypore), P Rajeev (Kalamassery), KN Balagopal (Kottarakkara), CPI’s K Rajan (Ollur), P Prasad (Cherthala), KC(M) Jose K Mani (Bala), Rushi Augustine. (Idukki) and Matthew T. Thomas (Thiruvala) of ISJD.
Within the United Democratic Front, the Congress will contest the largest number of seats (92) while offering support to independents in three others. Other allies in the UDF are IUML in 27 seats, Kerala Congress (J) in 8 seats, RSP in 4 seats and 1 seat each for KDP’s Mani C Kappen, Trinamool Congress’s PV Anvar, RMP, CMP and Kerala Congress (JK).
The UDF’s star candidates include Congress MP Ramesh Chennithala (Harippad), VD Satheesan (Paravur), Sunny Joseph (Peravoor), VT Balram (Thrithala), PK Kunhalikutty of IUML (Malappuram), KK Rema of RMP (Vadakara) and Shibu Baby John of RSP (Chavara).
The NDA consists of three parties—BJP with its candidates on 99 seats, BDJS on 22 seats and Twenty20 on 19 seats.
The main contenders for the NDA in these elections include BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar (NIMOM), V Muraleedharan (Kazhakoottam), Subha Surendran (Palakkad) and Pappu Divakaran of Twenty20 (Kunathunad).
Kerala goes to the polls on April 9.
