With barely three days left for filing of nominations, uncertainty has prevailed over candidates of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Elathur and Perambra Assembly segments.
The decision of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) to offer Elathur and Perambra to the Nationalist Congress Kerala (NCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League respectively has led to a rebellion in the Congress in the district.
Protest in the open
Elathur has become a political hot potato for the Congress State leadership. Party workers have come out publicly against the leadership’s decision to offer the seat to the NCK.
The NCK has already announced its candidate - Sulfikkar Mayuri - in the segment.
In protest, several office-bearers of block and mandalam committees and the president of the Mahila Congress district unit have submitted their resignation. More leaders are planning to follow suit.
Claim support of allies
The dissident leaders pointed out that its allies, including the IUML and a splinter group of the Janata Dal, were also supporting their demand that the Congress should contest the seat. Protests meetings were held at Thalakulathoor.
Meanwhile, backing the demand of the dissidents, Kozhikode MP M.K. Raghavan said the Congress leadership would hold discussions with the NCK to settle the issue.
“Certainly, the Congress should nominate its candidate in Elathur. Already the workers have said they would not work for the NCK nominee,” Mr. Raghavan, who wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to take back the Elathur seat, said.
Regarding Perambra, Mr. Raghavan, also a member on the election committee, said the IUML would decide on a candidate possibly on Wednesday.
The Janata Dal (United), now known as Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), had unsuccessfully contested from Elathur and the Kerala Congress(M) from Perambra.
District Congress Commitee president U. Rajeevan said the central leadership would have to take a decision on Elathur and Perambra. A section of leaders in the IUML wanted the Congress to contest from Perambra, he said.
