THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the CPM state committee making necessary changes in the candidate list prepared by the district committees, 30 newcomers are set to contest the upcoming assembly polls. Meanwhile, the same number of sitting CPM MLAs will lose their seats. This includes five ministers and the speaker. Significant list revisions have been made in Alappuzha, Thrissur and Kannur districts where there are four new candidates each. Newcomers will contest in three seats each in Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kozhikode.

The state committee on Friday approved the state secretariat's stand that no waiver should be given on the condition that those who have contested twice in a row should be excluded. With this, it has become clear that 5 ministers of the present cabinet will not be contesting the elections. The list returned to the district units with corrections will now be discussed and finalized by the district secretariats. The final list of candidates will be announced on March 10 with the approval of the State and Central Committees.

Pinarayi Vijayan will be the only candidate from the politburo. Among the central committee members, KK Shailaja, K Radhakrishnan, MV Govindan will contest. The candidates from the state secretariat include TP Ramakrishnan, MM Mani, KN Balagopal and P Rajeev. While central committee member AK Balan won't be contesting this time, his wife Dr PK Jameela is likely to be named the candidate in the Tharoor constituency. CPM state secretary A Vijayaraghavan's wife and former Thrissur mayor Dr Bindu is likely to be the candidate in Irinjalakkuda.

Five were exempted from the condition of excluding the candidates who contested the Lok Sabha polls. KN Balagopal (Kottarakkara), VN Vasavan (Ettumanoor), Veena George (Aranmula), P Rajeev (Kalamassery) and MB Rajesh (Trithala) are on the list. Ranni and Kuttyadi constituencies were handed over to Kerala Congress (M) while Koothuparamba and Kalpetta constituencies were handed over Lok Tantric Janata Dal. The Mani group may also be given the Piravom constituency.

Though Janadhipathya Mahila Association Secretary PK Satidevi was at the top of the list of the district secretariat, Elamaram Kareem has strongly opposed her candidature. The assessment that the secretary of the Mahila Association is not likely to win was also discussed. Apart from Satidevi, Kannathil Jameela's name was also added to the list of the district secretariat.

11 women

This time only eleven women are on the list of probables. Twelve women contested the elections last time. It is learnt that TN Seema has criticised the low representation of women during the state committee meeting. Sources said that Seema criticised the leaders for not considering members of the Janadhipathya Mahila Association.