THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Informal discussions have started in various party circles for candidates in the upcoming panchayat and assembly polls. The UDF is planning to give Vadakara assembly seat to RMP. Certain Congress leaders have asked the UDF leadership to give Vadakara seat to RMP.

Congress leadership would like to field KK Rama as the UDF candidate in Vadakara. But RMP circles want its state secretary N Venu to be the candidate. Congress believes that Rama’s candidature would send a strong message to the politics of violence and thus UDF would be able to defeat CPM in Malabar.

K Muraleedharan, MP of Vadakara and KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran have no objections to Rema’s candidature. In the previous Lok Sabha elections, RMP had supported UDF candidate in Vadakara to defeat LDF candidate E P Jayarajan.

Vadakara had been a CPM stronghold, but since 2009, UDF has won from there. However, they have not won any assembly polls from here. In the assembly polls of 2016, UDF-RMP electoral pact was withheld at the last moment. In 2011, RMP leader N Venu contested as an independent candidate and secured 10,098 votes. In 2016, when KK Rema contested and 20,504 votes came to her account. Congress holds the view that if KK Rema contest from Vadakara on UDF ticket, victory is assured.

Meanwhile, in RMP there is no consensus among leaders over electoral ties with UDF, whereas a senior Congress leader has told said that there is a possibility for a temporary electoral understanding between UDF and RMP. As local body polls are around the corner, talks between them may start in September itself.

RMP leader KK Rama said, “We shall make a decision about Assembly elections when the time comes. We haven’t started any discussion at the official level. Our party hasn’t discussed strategy for assembly polls. Everything will be decided after thorough discussions.”