THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the announcement of the parliamentary elections coming up, major political parties have entered into candidate selection discussions. The battle is heating up in the VIP seats of Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad and Thrissur.

KPCC's election committee held a meeting in Thrissur before the Congress Mahajana Sabha. It was agreed in the meeting that the sitting MPs should contest in 14 of the 15 seats held by the Congress. With KPCC president K Sudhakaran declaring that he will not contest again, a new face will come in Kannur. However, the Muslim League is eyeing that seat. Alappuzha, the only seat Congress lost in 2019, may also have a new candidate.

Kodikunnil Suresh, a consistent winner in Mavelikkara, has expressed his reluctance to contest but the leadership may not agree. KPCC president K Sudhakaran, opposition leader VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and UDF convener MM Hassan are members of the committee to prepare the list of candidates. They will hold discussions with sitting MPs.

The PB and three-day central committee meetings concluded in Thiruvananthapuram on January 30 were the venue for CPM's election strategies and initial discussions on candidate selection. The party state secretariat is meeting on the 10th of this month and the state committee is meeting on the 11th and 12th. After that, there will be a bilateral discussion and candidate selection discussion.

The Kerala padayatra conducted by BJP state president K Surendran will end on the 27th of this month. Party candidates in Kerala are set to be announced in two phases in Delhi ahead of the concluding session to be attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Pannyan Raveendran also under consideration; Annie Raja against Rahul

It is indicated that the CPI national executive and council meeting held in Hyderabad last day reached a preliminary agreement regarding the selection of candidates. Pannyan Raveendran, who won the by-elections held in 2005 after the death of PK Vasudevan Nair, has been moved to contest in Thiruvananthapuram. However, Pannyan responded yesterday that he will not contest.

Former minister VS Sunil Kumar in Thrissur, party national executive Annie Raja in Rahul Gandhi's seat Wayanad and AIF leader Anil Kumar in Mavelikara are also being considered. An agreement may be reached in the state executive and council meetings of the party to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on 10 and 11.

League eyeing Kannur

Apart from Malappuram and Ponnani, Kannur seat is the main goal of the Muslim League, which is demanding a third seat. Party leaders say former MLA of the League and fiery orator MK Shaji is the most suitable candidate to retain the seat for the UDF in the event of K Sudhakaran's transfer.