Kerala polls: Ex-Cong leader Lathika to contest as independent candidate

Former Kerala Congress' women's wing president Lathika Subhash will contest from the Ettumanoor assembly constituency, Kottayam, as an independent candidate in the forthcoming Assembly polls.

She will be contesting under the election symbol of an 'autorickshaw'.

"I am not going to any other party for the upcoming Assembly election because I was a Congress worker. How can I go to another party?" Lathika told ANI.

"I am facing a lot of problems. But still, I am contesting because of my colleagues and the people in my constituency wanted me to contest as an independent candidate. So I am trying," she added.

She said that now people from every caste and every religion could give her a vote, adding that she was a candidate with immense freedom.

Speaking about the reason behind getting her head tonsured, she remarked that the shaving was done for the cause of women.

"Not only for women in politics but in all walks of life. Women are saying they will vote for me because I raised my voice for the cause of women. So, I am confident they will give me their votes. And youngsters too are promoting me. So, I am confident, I will win," Lathika said.

"My protest was against those people who crumbled the womenfolk in all walks of life. Not only the Congress party or CPI (M) or BJP, but every political party. It was for a noble cause, not for my seat. This time, Kerala Students Union (KSU) President got a ticket to contest, Youth Congress President also is going to become the MLA for the third time," Lathika further added.

Former Congress leader also said that people commenting that she got many positions while working as Mahila Congress Party didn't know that she worked very hard for 32 years and those positions were not given to her as a gift.