LDF is yet to decide on its candidate in Thiruvananthapuram; Joy likely to be named candidate in Attingal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI is looking for strong candidates against UDF's sitting MP Shashi Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency which has garnered attention at the national level. Although the party had to settle for third place the last two times, it is gearing up to give tough competition to the UDF and the BJP.

Even though senior leader and party state council invitee Pannyan Raveendran is being considered as the candidate, he has not agreed to contest in the election. The party is also thinking of making Annie Raja, the party's national executive member, a candidate.

When Pannyan Raveendran won in 2005, he got 51 percent of the votes. In 2019, Tharoor won with 41 percent of the votes, while senior CPI leader C Divakaran had to settle for 25 percent. The BJP, which came in second place, collected 31 percent of the votes.

Meanwhile, CPM has decided to field district secretary V Joy MLA to defeat Adoor Prakash of Congress in the Attingal constituency. Joy's name had come up in the District Secretariat meeting chaired by state secretariat member Puthalath Dinesan on February 17. The CPM is hoping that Joy, who defeated the UDF in the Varkala assembly constituency, will be able to regain Attingal for the party.

He has significant influence in Varkala and Chirayinkeezhu assembly constituency, which includes his native place Perunguzhi. He was the president of Azhoor panchayat and Chirayinkeezhu block panchayat. All seven assembly constituencies in the constituency are with the CPM. Last time when Adoor Prakash won, the vote margin between UDF and LDF was only four percent.