CPI unlikely to field 3-term MLAs, including 3 Kerala Ministers

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 12 (IANS) The Communist Party of India in Kerala will, in all likelihood, not give tickets in the coming Assembly elections to its six MLAs, including three Ministers, as they are set to complete three terms as legislators, sources said.The CPI is the second biggest ally after the CPI-Marxist in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the coastal state. In the 2016 Assembly polls, the CPI contested 27 seats and won 19. It is unlikely that state Ministers K Raju, P Thilothaman and VS Sunil Kumar will get CPI tickets in April-May 2021 elections. Other CPI MLAs include ES Bijimol, C Divakaran and Mullakara Ratnakaran -- the last two Ministers in the VS Achuthanandan Cabinet (2006-11).Their party colleague and Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan will get another chance as he is a two-term MLA.A top CPI leader said it was unlikely that any exemption would be made this time, though some exemptions were made in 2016.On the other hand, the opposition Congress has in principle agreed to field all its 22 sitting MLAs though the final decision on fielding party veteran KC Joseph will be made later.
--IANS sg/dpb/tsb