Senior leaders sidelined as CPM finalizes candidate list; no seats for Isaac or Mani

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The finalisation of the CPM candidate list has triggered an unusual wave of internal dissent within the party. Senior leader G. Sudhakaran has publicly expressed his displeasure after being excluded from the list once again. Similarly, former Health Minister K.K. Shailaja has reportedly shown resentment over the leadership's insistence that she contest from the Peravoor constituency instead of her preferred seat.

While the party traditionally maintains a unified front—with the 2006 protests over VS Achuthanandan being a rare exception—this election cycle is seeing widespread dissatisfaction. The focus now turns to the state committee meeting, where the final approval of the list could either quiet or intensify these grievances.

A major point of contention involves the strict application of the "term system." G. Sudhakaran remains sidelined despite the party waiving the rule for other leaders like U. Pratibha. In Taliparamba, the party secretariat has decided to field P.K. Shyamala, wife of CPM State Secretary M.V. Govindan, to succeed her husband. This move has drawn criticism on social media and sparked internal debate over the exclusion of other potential candidates, such as N. Sukanya.

The constituency committee is scheduled to meet on March 8. While there is a slight possibility that intense local protests could force a change in the Taliparamba candidacy, observers suggest a reversal remains unlikely.

No seat for Isaac and Mani

The CPM State Secretariat has reportedly moved forward with a candidate list that excludes several senior party stalwarts, including Dr. Thomas Isaac and M.M. Mani. During the review of recommendations from district secretariats, the state leadership intervened to make significant alterations to the proposed names.

In a notable shift, the Idukki District Secretariat’s recommendation of M.M. Mani for the Udumbanchola constituency was rejected. In his place, the state leadership has positioned K.K. Jayachandran as the candidate. While party officials cited health concerns alongside the "term system" for Mani’s exclusion, the veteran leader dismissed such claims, stating his health is managed similarly to other active leaders.

The exclusion of former Finance Minister Dr. Thomas Isaac has also drawn attention. Despite internal requests from leaders like M.A. Baby to field Isaac in Alappuzha, his name was not taken up for discussion during the secretariat meeting. Similarly, other prominent names such as C.S. Sujatha and incumbent Minister Veena George face uncertainty; while George is currently recommended for Aranmula, the party has indicated this remains subject to change.

In contrast to the changes elsewhere, the Thiruvananthapuram District Secretariat’s list was accepted in its entirety, with all ten sitting MLAs set to contest again. However, a decision regarding the replacement for Mukesh in Kollam remains pending. The CPM State Committee is scheduled to meet today to deliberate further, though a final official announcement is unlikely by the 8th due to the delay in the election date notification.