Three MPs in Kerala to contest Assembly elections; AICC approves exemptions based on winning prospects

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress party has decided to relax its earlier position that sitting MPs should not contest Assembly elections. Taking into account the political situation in Kerala and focusing on winnability, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has approved exemptions for three MPs to enter the fray.

Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran, Kozhikode MP M.K. Raghavan, and Attingal MP Adoor Prakash have been cleared to contest the Assembly elections. Sudhakaran will contest from the Kannur constituency, Raghavan from Kozhikode North, and Adoor Prakash from Konni. An official announcement is expected shortly. The decision was taken based on a report submitted by election strategist Sunil Kanugolu. The matter was discussed directly with Rahul Gandhi before a final call was made.

With three sitting MPs contesting the Assembly elections, discussions are now underway on candidates for the resulting Lok Sabha by-elections. Identifying strong contenders capable of retaining these parliamentary seats has emerged as a key challenge. This concern has also limited the possibility of granting similar exemptions to more MPs.

At a poll-preparation meeting held in Delhi last month, there was a broad consensus that MPs from Kerala should not contest the Assembly elections. However, Kanugolu’s report described the election as a fight for political survival and stressed the importance of social and community equations. It suggested that granting exemptions to select leaders could strengthen the party’s prospects across multiple constituencies. Based on this assessment, Rahul Gandhi is understood to have approved exemptions for a few leaders in Kerala.