Rahul Mamkootathil likely in Palakkad; Congress begins candidate selection for Kerala bypolls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress party on Thursday unofficially started the candidate selection for the by-elections in Palakkad and Chelakkara assembly constituencies. In Palakkad, youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil is a likely pick. Former MLA and current MP from Vadakara Shafi Parambil has endorsed the decision to select Rahul to contest the Palakkad seat.

Though the general mood in the party favours Rahul, there were also big voices in support of former MLA VT Balram and former Mathur Panchayat President and Farmers Congress State Secretary Sivarajan to be considered for Palakkad.

Congress will try their best to field the most people's favourite candidate to retain the Palakkad seat which in recent years has shown a tilt towards BJP. On the other hand, Congress is considering Ramya Haridas in Chelakkara. Despite the loss by a slender margin in LS polls, the party believes Ramya can easily win the LDF fortress in the by-poll. Apart from this, V.K. Sreekantan MP's wife and Congress leader K.A. Thulasi and former Chairperson of Chittoor Municipality KA Sheeba are also under consideration in Chelakkara.

The Congress is rooting for Priyanka Gandhi's arrival in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency to create a wave of support for the party in the state during the by-poll elections.