Elamaram Kareem, Rajya Sabha candidate of CPI(M)

The CPI(M) in Kerala today nominated senior leader and former minister Elamaram Kareem as its candidate from the state for the coming Rajya Sabha election.

The decision to field Kareem, a CPI(M) Central Committee member and CITU state secretary, was taken at the party secretariat meeting here, Party State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said.

Kareem was industries minister in the LDF government headed by V S Achuthanandan in 2006.

He had also served as general secretary of the CITU Road Transport Workers Federation and secretary of The All India Road Transport Federation.

Three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala are falling vacant this month. Of these, the ruling LDF is in a position to win two and the UDF, one. It was widely expected that the Congress will put up its own candidate for the seat.

Besides Kurian, those retiring are C P Narayanan of CPI(M) and Joy Abraham of the Kerala Congress.

The LDF has decided to share one seat each between lead partner CPI(M) and the front's second biggest partner CPI.

Former state Binoy Viswam is the CPI candidate.

The Rajya Sabha biennial poll is slated for June 21.