Kerala CM, 6 CPI(M) ministers in fray; FM Thomas Isaac denied poll ticket

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and six of his cabinet colleagues have been fielded by the ruling CPI(M) for the April 6 state assembly elections, while Finance minister Thomas Issac has been denied a ticket this time.

The party on Wednesday released the list of 83 of its 85 candidates including nine CPI(M) supported independents. Health Minister K K Shailaja, Labour minister T P Ramakrishnan, Power minister M M Mani,Devaswom minister Kadakkampally Surendran, Fisheries minister Mercykutty Amma and Local Self Government minister A C Moideen are trying their luck once again.

Vijayan will contest from Dharmadam constituency in Kannur district. However, five ministers have been denied seats– T M Thomas Isaac, E P Jayarajan, R Ravindranath, G Sudhakaran and A K Balan as the party decided not to provide seats to those who had been elected twice. M V Govindan Master, K Radhakrishan, P Rajeev and K N Balagopal are the state secretariat members who are contesting.

There are 12 women candidates in the list. Candidates for Manjeshwaram and Devikulam constituencies would be announced later, Acting state secretary, A Vijayaraghavan, told reporters here.

The party’s aim was not to deny tickets to anyone, but to give an opportunity to new candidates, he said. The CPI(M) led LDF is eyeing a second consecutive term this time. In the 2016 polls, the LDF had won 91 seats in the 140- member assembly.