Congress yet to finalise candidate list for Kerala polls

Thiruvananthapuram: Hectic parleys are on to resolve the differences between senior Congress leaders from Kerala over finalisation of candidates for the May 16 Assembly elections, with the state leaders meeting party President Sonia Gandhi.

For the past three days, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC President VM Sudheeran are camping in Delhi to give a final shape to the list prepared by KPCC and get the Congress high command nod for the same.

The leaders met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday separately in order to iron out some differences over the selection of certain candidates, Congress sources here said.

It had been decided to prepare a panel of names for the "disputed" seats and final decision would be taken by the central election committee of the party, the sources said. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had also met the state leaders on Thursday.

The differences centred over the "stringent norms" put up by Sudheeran over the candidature of three Ministers and two sitting MLAs, who are reportedly close to Chandy. Chandy has opposed any move to sideline his loyalists and conveyed the same to the high command.

Meanwhile, local congress leaders in Konni have come out in support of state Revenue minister, Adoor Prakash, whose re-nomination is being opposed, and have stated that any move to deny him ticket, will be opposed by them.

In a related development, posters against the stand of Sudheeran has appeared in certain parts of the state capital. The KPCC President has insisted that persons facing allegations should not be given seats and those who had contested more than four times should make way for younger and new faces.

However, Chandy, has made it clear that if norms were to be strictly followed, he also would come under its purview and would have to keep away from polls.

CPI-(M) led LDF and BJP have already announced candidates for majority of seats and began their campaigning. BJP President Amit Shah will be inaugurating the NDA convention on April 9 at Pathanamthitta.

He will also be addressing party workers at Thalassery in Kannur district which has witnessed frequent BJP-CPI(M) clashes.