Kerala: CPI releases first list of candidates

Eight sitting Members of Legislative Assembly including two ministers and the deputy speaker do not figure in the first list of candidates released by the Communist Party of India for the April 13 Kerala assembly polls.

Revenue Minister K P Rajendran, Forest Minister Binoy Viswom and Deputy Speaker Jose Baby missed out following the party's decision not to field MLAs who have served two terms, party sources said. Three women candidates also found a place in the list of candidates finalised by the Party State Council for the 23 out of 27 seats allotted to the CPI as part of the Left-led Left Democratic Front.

The three women candidates are National Federation of India Women Executive Committee member P Gouri (Manjeri), Geetha Gopi (Nattika) and sitting MLA E S Bijimol (Peerumade). Food Minister C Divakaran and Agriculture Minister Mullakara Ratnakaran would contest from Karunagapally and Chdayamangalam respectively in Kollam district.

Other sitting MLAs seeking re-election are P Raju (Punalur), P Thilothaman (Cherthala), K Ajith (Vaikom), Babu Paul (Muvattupuzha), V S Sunil Kumar (Kaipamangalam) and Rajaji Mathew Thomas (Ollur).

The party would announce the list of candidates on Friday after finalising the names for the four constituencies of Adoor, Ernad, Thirangadi and Irikkur, party sources said.