THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM has decided to exclude 12 candidates who were considered first to contest the upcoming polls. While PP Sumod will replace minister AK Balan's wife Dr PK Jameela as the candidate in Tharoor, Kannathil Jameela will be the candidate in Koyilandy instead of Janadhipathya Mahila Congress state general secretary P Sathidevi. The changes were made after considering the sentiments from the district units of the party. There are 11 women on the list of candidates.

After getting the approval of the district and constituency committees today, the candidate list will be sent to the politburo. The list will be officially announced on Wednesday. The CPM, which contested in 92 constituencies in the last assembly election, will contest only in 85 seats this time. The party has handed over some of its seats to Kerala Congress(M) and LJD. Though UP Joseph was nominated for Chalakkudy, the seat was later handed over to the Jose group. Dismissing the Thiruvananthapuram district committee’s dissent, the party has also decided to field G Stephen as the party’s official candidate in Aruvikara.

VN Vasavan from Kottayam is the only district secretary who will contest the election this time. Though Palakkad district secretary CK Rajendran was initially nominated for Shoranur, the party later decided to field P Mammikutty in the constituency. Area secretary and Chavakkad Municipal Council former president NK Akbar is likely to contest from Guruvayur.

It is learnt that minister Balan himself suggested the name of another person to replace his wife Jameela as the candidate in Tharoor. The suggestion was made in the wake of widespread protest against Jameela's candidature.

Though Sathidevi was initially nominated in Koyilandy by the district secretariat, the state secretariat opposed her candidature as they felt that she was unlikely to win. P Sathidevi is P Jayarajan's younger sister. The district secretariat then discussed and decided to field Kannathil Jameela in the constituency.

Constituencies where candidate has changed

Manjeshwaram, Sultan Bathery, Koyilandy, Shoranur, Ottappalam, Tharoor, Kongad, Mankada, Thiruvambady, Kunnathunadu, Devikulam and Guruvayur.