Left allies left in the lurch as only Communist parties to field candidates for Lok Sabha polls

With the CPI-M in Kerala deciding to field its candidates in 16 Lok Sabha seats out of the 20 in the state and the Communist Party of India already getting four, none of the other eight allies of the ruling Left Democratic Front will get a seat to contest.

This decision came on Thursday when the CPI-M leadership finalised 15 candidates. The only one seat for which they have not decided a candidate is the Ponnani Lok Sabha constituency, for which the name would be announced in a day or two.

Among those who are contesting this time on a CPI-M ticket are sitting members P.K. Sreemathi (Kannur), M.P. Rajesh (Palakkad), P.K. Biju (Alathur) and A. Sampath (Attingal).

Two others who won as Left independents, ace comedian Innocent (Chalakudy) and Joyce George (Idukki) have also been asked to contest again.

Innocent's name had evoked strong resistance from the CPI-M leadership in the constituency, but that was overlooked.

P.Karunakaran who had completed a hat-trick of wins from Kasargode constituency has been dropped and in his place comes former party legislator K.P. Satish Chandran.

The others include three sitting legislators -- A. Pradeep Kumar (Kozhikode), A.M. Arif (Alappuzha) and Left independent legislator Veena George (Pathanamthitta).

The biggest surprise in the list is party veteran P.Jayarajan, who is a former legislator and was jailed in two murder cases. He will contest from the Badagara seat in Kozhikode district.

V.N.Vasavan, a former legislator, has been fielded from Kottayam, while two former Rajya Sabha members P.Rajiv (Ernakulam) and K.N.Balagopal (Kollam) are also in the fray.

In 2014, the Kottayam seat was given to Left ally JD(S).

V.P.Sanu, All India president of the Students Federation of India, has been fielded from Malappuram.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, one seat was given to Janata Dal (Secular), while the CPI-M fielded its candidates on 10 seats. In five constituencies it fielded independent candidates while the CPI was given four seats.

The tally in 2014 was that the CPI-M led LDF won eight seats, while the Congress led UDF won 12.

--IANS

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