K K Shailaja in Peravoor? CPM enters initial discussions on candidate selection

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After completing the regional rallies, the CPM will begin the initial discussion on the selection of candidates for the assembly elections at the secretariat meeting on Friday. The meeting will also decide on which key leaders, including those from the central committee and the state secretariat, should contest.

The central leadership has instructed the state to decide which of the central committee members should contest. It will also discuss giving relaxation to some leaders on the condition that those who have contested for two consecutive terms should abstain from the elections. The CPM, which is aiming for a historic third term, will devise strategies to secure winnable seats along with the guaranteed ones. The term requirement may also be relaxed for sitting MLAs who have done significant development work in their constituencies and have public support. Seat sharing with allies is not a humongous task, unlike in other fronts. However, there is a possibility of exchanging seats with some parties.

Former minister K.K. Shailaja, the most genial face of CPM, is likely to contest from the Peravoor constituency. There are indications that she has been instructed to work from the constituency. Shailaja won here in 2006 with a majority of 9099 votes. However, in 2011, she lost to Congress' Sunny Joseph. In the last two elections, the current KPCC president, Sunny Joseph, has been winning from Peravoor. The CPM aims to put up a strong fight against the KPCC president. Shailaja won from Koothuparamba in 2016 and from Mattannur in 2021 with an eye-popping majority of 60,963 votes.