THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the announcement of elections to the three vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Kerala, discussions and consultations are active on both the fronts.

With Congress deciding to contest for its sure seat, a number of leaders have come up staking a claim for the Rajya Sabha seat. The CMP, a constituent party, also submitted a letter to the Congress demanding the seat. Meanwhile, the CPI and the Lok Tantric Janata Dal have come up demanding one of the vacant seats of the Left Front. The CPI (M) leadership is of the view that it is its right to have one of the vacant two seats and that there is no need for further discussion. The Lok Tantric Janata Dal has also decided to stake a claim for one of the vacant seats.

With senior leader AK Antony announcing that he was not interested for another term, a number of Congress leaders have come up demanding the seat. The names of people from KV Thomas to MM Hasan are in the discussion. However, the younger generation has come out arguing that the Congress should also adopt a generational change experiment. It is learned that the state leadership is also of the view that someone between the ages of 40-60 should be considered for the Rajya Sabha seat.

Discussions are afoot to send MM Hasan to the Rajya Sabha and replace him with KC Joseph as UDF convener to ensure communal balance. It is argued that such a move is made to change the situation where the Christian community is under-represented in the party and front positions. The High Command will take the final decision on the candidate. The possibility of High Command considering Mullappally Ramachandran cannot be ruled out. Mullappally was given the KPCC presidency as a reward for his excellence in conducting the last Congress organizational elections. Mullappally, however, had to resign after the party's humiliating defeat in the Assembly elections. Sources said that Mullappally is not interested to go to parliament and becoming active in Delhi politics once again.

The names of M Liju, V.T Balram, Shanimol Usman and Dr Shama Mohammad are also doing the rounds. The other person who might be in the reckoning is Cherian Phillip, who after more than two decades after ditching the Congress party, returned last year.

The CPM state committee meeting to be convened today may decide on the Rajya Sabha seats. It remains to be seen whether the two seats will be taken over by the CPM or whether any of the constituent parties will be considered for one seat. Apart from the LJD, the NCP and the JDS will also stake a claim for the seat. Meanwhile, it is learned that the CPM is considering naming DYFI All India President AA Rahim as its candidate.