THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Four Rajya Sabha members, including two Union Ministers, and five MLAs, including a minister, are seeking a mandate in Kerala in the Lok Sabha elections. Hence, their victory in Lok Sabha polls will pave the way for by-elections.

In Vadakara, the contest is between MLAs. Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil is the UDF candidate in the constituency. Former Minister KK Shailaja, who won in Mattannur with a record majority, is contesting for the LDF. Following the election results, Palakkad or Mattannur is sure to witness a by-election.

Other MLAs, including the minister, are contesting in Alathur, Kollam and Attingal constituencies. The LDF candidate in Alathur is Minister K Radhakrishnan. Sitting MP Ramya Haridas is the UDF candidate. If K Radhakrishnan wins in Alathur, a by-election is guaranteed in Chelakkara, his assembly constituency. If he loses, the CPM will be on the defensive. BJP is contesting here instead of BDJS.

Sitting MP NK Premachandran, the UDF candidate in Kollam, will face M Mukesh MLA of LDF. In Attingal, UDF candidate sitting MP Adoor Prakash will face CPM district secretary and Varkala MLA V Joy.

Two union ministers contesting in Kerala
NDA candidates for Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram constituencies V Muraleedharan and Rajeev Chandrasekhar are Union Ministers and Rajya Sabha members. The term of both their Rajya Sabha membership will end next month. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, the UDF candidate in Alappuzha, is also a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan. His term will end in June 2026. Therefore, the CPM is intensifying the allegation that the BJP will win the Rajya Sabha seat if Venugopal wins the Lok Sabha election. Kozhikode sitting MP MK Raghavan is facing LDF Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem, who has a term till July.