 "rahul gandhi")
The CPI (M), the lead partner in Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), announced on Tuesday that former state ministers K K Shailaja and T M Thomas Isaac would contest the Lok Sabha elections. It announced 15 candidates for Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats. Its allies, the CPI and Kerala Congress (M), will contest five seats, including Annie Raja of the CPI fighting against Congress’ Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. In 2019, the LDF could win only one seat in Kerala, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front won 19, including Congress’ 15.
For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the CPI (M) has fielded four sitting legislators and two sitting MPs, including its lone Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha and Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem will contest from Kozhikode. Isaac and Shailaja will contest from Pathanamthitta and Vadakara seats, respectively. In 2019, the BJP couldn’t win any seats, but secured 29 per cent vote share in Pathanamthitta.
CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan said if the slogan is to defeat the BJP, Gandhi should contest from the Hindi belt. “For that, there is no need to come to Kerala...because the BJP is not going to win a single seat in the state.” CPI (M) politburo member Brinda Karat also asked the Congress to rethink about Gandhi contesting from Wayanad. The Left parties and Congress are part of the INDIA, but are rivals in Kerala.
CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan said if the slogan is to defeat the BJP, Gandhi should contest from the Hindi belt. “For that, there is no need to come to Kerala...because the BJP is not going to win a single seat in the state.” CPI (M) politburo member Brinda Karat also asked the Congress to rethink about Gandhi contesting from Wayanad. The Left parties and Congress are part of the INDIA, but are rivals in Kerala.
