Will AMMA president Innocent contest for CPI-M?

Springing a big surprise, the CPI-M in Kerala seems to have roped in hugely popular comedy and character artiste Innocent to contest the Chalakudy Lok Sabha seat in Thrissur district for the party.

"Yes, (CPI-M) leaders have been in touch with me," said Innocent, the president of film actors' body AMMA, Wednesday.

Communist Party of India-Marxist sources told IANS that the final decision will be made very soon. With the actor also giving the nod and Chalakudy being Innocent's home town also, the CPI-M feels that he would be a good bet in Chalakudy considered a strong Congress constituency.

The 65-year-old Innocent, who has acted in more than 500 films, began his career as a producer in the early 1970s and then went on to act but it was only in the mid-1980s did he click in this role. Since then he has not looked back.

It was only last year that Innocent resumed his acting career after a short break following treatment for a serious malady.

Another person who has been shortlisted by the CPI-M is Christie Fernandes, a former Gujarat cadre IAS official and secretary to former president Prathiba Patil. If selected, he will contest the Ernakulam seat against Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister K.V.Thomas.

The CPI-M is expected to finalise the candidates for 16 seats, which is their share in the total 20 in the state, in the coming few days, said the party sources.