Kummanam and Annie Raja likely to contest from Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANATHAPURAM: LDF and BJP have not yet decided their candidates to contest in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Though Tharoor’s majority was decreased from one lakh votes to fifteen thousand, Shashi Tharoor is a favourite candidate in the capital.

LDF could only score the third place in the 2014 election. Thiruvananthapuram is a constituency of CPI. Though CPIM had thought about contesting from the constituency, they changed the plan later. CPI have not yet recovered from the candidature of Bennet Abraham, who was alleged to be a paid candidate. Though national leader Annie Raja’s name is in consideration, a decision will be taken only after the first week of March. CPI will have a woman candidate this time and Annie Raja is their most prominent woman leader.

Though it can be assessed that O Rajagopal’s candidature was the reason for Tharoor’s decline in majority, BJP votes in the constituency is getting increased. BJP hopes to defeat Tharoor by using the sentiments regarding Sabarimala incident. However, a suitable candidate is required. Kummanam, K Surendran and P S Sreedharan Pillai are most likely to contest from Thiruvananthapuram.