KPCC leaders to fly to Delhi with probable list for Lok Sabha polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KPCC election screening committee that met on Saturday decided to put the onus on AICC leadership to finalize the candidates list for the Lok Sabha elections.
State leaders will reach New Delhi on Sunday with list of probable candidates and hold discussions with high command.
The probable list features the names of heavy weights like Oommen Chandy to contest from Pathanamthitta or Idukki, V M Sudheeran (Alappuzha or Thrissur), T N Prathapan (Thrissur), P J Kurien (Pathanamthitta), Benny Behannan (Chalakkudy), Shafi Parambil (Palakkad) and Hibi Eden along with K V Thomas (Ernakulam).
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal will take a final decision on entering the fray after discussions with high command. Both have expressed their unwillingness to contest.
The high command had asked the KPCC leadership to prepare a list of at least three probable candidates for each constituency, excluding sitting seats.
So far, the candidates who are sure to contest are: Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram), Adoor Prakash (Attingal), Kodikkunnil Suresh (Mavelikkara), M K Raghavan (Kozhikode) and K Sudhakaran (Kannur).
The state leaders expect the final list of candidates to be announced by Wednesday. After the LDF decided to field some of the party big wigs and well-experienced leaders, the Congress is under tremendous pressure to send out strong candidates.