The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the CPI-M and the Opposition United Democratic Front led by the Congress have fielded ‘young’ leaders of their parties as candidates for the biennial election to Rajya Sabha from the State scheduled for March 31.
Three sitting members are retiring from the Upper House on completion of their tenures. A K Antony, former Defence Minister and member of the Congress Working Committee, M V Sreyams Kumar (Loktantrik Janata Dal) and K Somaprasad (CPI-M) are the members who are retiring. Antony (81), one of the oldest members of the Congress had declared that he would not be returning to New Delhi as age and health were not on his side and opted out of electoral politics.
The CPI-M has nominated A A Rahim, all India chief of the party’s youth wing, the DYFI, as its candidate and allocated the other vacancy to the CPI which in turn has fielded P Sunil Kumar.
The Congress, on its part nominated Jabi Mather, president of Kerala Mahila Congress and daughter of K M I Mather, a billionaire businessman who owns a number of business houses in the State.
All the three candidates are in their early 40s and are certain to win the polls based on the strength in the legislative assembly.
Jabie Mather is the first woman to be nominated by the Indian National Congress in the last four decades and this has gone well with the party cadre in Kerala.
Sreyams Kumar was left disappointed and dejected with the CPI(M) for overlooking his case and offering the seat to the CPI. “It was because of the pressure exerted by the CPI that the seat was allocated to them. I do not have any issues and would continue to be an integral part of the LDF,” he told reporters.