In a bid to defeat BJP in its lone sitting seat in Kerala, the Congress has decided to field Lok Sabha MP K Muraleedharan at Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram.
Muraleedharan, who is the son of former Chief Minister K Karunakaran, has been fielded by relaxing the party norms of not fielding any MPs in the Assembly election fray. Muraleedharan was a two-time MLA from Vattiyoorkavu, which is adjacent to Nemom, and hence, the party considered him as the most ideal candidate.
Kerala PCC president Mullapally Ramachandran said that BJP leaders were terming Nemom as "Gujarat of Kerala" and so, the Congress wanted to give a direct fight to the BJP. Hence, Muraleedharan, who was found to be the most ideal candidate, was given exemption. He is now MP representing Vatakara in North Kerala.
Senior leaders like former Chief Minster Oommen Chandy and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala were also willing to take up the challenge. Chandy and Chenniithala will contest from their incumbent seats - Puthupally in Kottayam and Harippad in Alappuzha respectively.
Other prominent candidates in the fray are K Karunakaran's daughter Padmaja Venugopal at Thrissur, Mahila Congress former state president Bindu Krishna at Kollam, former technical officer at World Health Organisation and All India Professionals' Congress, Kerala Chapter president Dr. S S Lal at Kazhakkoottam in Thiruvananthapuram and actor-turned politician Dharmajan Bolgatty at Balusserry in Kozhikode.
Kerala PCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said that 55 per cent of the candidates are new faces, including 27-year-old Aritha Babu at Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district, who is the youngest among the Congress candidates. While 46 Congress candidates are in the 25-50 age group, 22 are in 51-60 age group, 15 in 60-70 age group and three are above 70. Among the candidates, 15 are under graduates, 42 graduates, 12 post-graduates, two PhD holders and two doctors.
Of the 92 seats in which Congress is contesting, candidates of 86 seats have been announced.
Meanwhile, there is widespread resentment in the Congress, especially, over alleged seat-sharing between the groups led by Chandy and Chennithala.
Mahila Congress president Lathika Subash reacted that Mahila Congress sought 20 per cent seat for women and expected at least 14 - one each in each district. But only nine women were fielded. She was also denied seat.
Ramachandran said that the party wanted to field more women but owing to unavoidable circumstances, many had to be avoided.