The screening committee of the Congress unit in Kerala has given the green light to all 15 incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs), including Rahul Gandhi and state party President K Sudhakaran, for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Chaired by Harish Chaudhary, the AICC representative in the screening committee, the meeting also included Deepa Dasmunsi, the state unit incharge, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, and Sudhakaran.
Sources indicate that the committee has approved the candidacy of all 15 sitting Congress MPs.
In the previous 2019 elections, the Congress contested 16 out of Kerala's 20 Lok Sabha seats, while four seats were allocated to allies. Together, they secured 19 seats, with the Congress winning 15, losing only the Alappuzha seat to the CPI-M.
Satheesan and Sudhakaran are scheduled to meet with party leaders in Delhi to finalize the candidate list, with speculation arising over whether Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad.
However, Sudhakaran has reportedly expressed reluctance due to health concerns, indicating a possible withdrawal from the election fray.
While the screening committee has endorsed all incumbent MPs, uncertainties loom over Kodikunnil Suresh and Anto Antony's candidacies. Suresh, a seven-time MP from Mavelikara and a three-time MP from Pathanamthitta, has expressed a desire to step back and potentially pursue a stint in the Kerala Assembly. Similarly, there are reservations within the Pathanamthitta constituency regarding Antony's candidacy.
For the Alappuzha seat, names circulating include that of AICC General Secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and several others.
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