Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, March 12 (IANS) The Congress election committee has entrusted Kerala senior leader Oommen Chandy and state president Ramesh Chennithala with the task of finalising candidates for the forthcoming assembly elections, a party source said Saturday.

Speaking to IANS, a top party leader confirmed that Chandy and Chennithala will finalise the list and hold discussions with Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Madhusudhanan Mistry, party general secretary in charge of Kerala, before sending it to the screening committee in Delhi.

Kerala goes to the polls April 13 to elect 140 legislators.

The Congress is continuing seat sharing talks with its United Democratic Front (UDF) allies. The party is likely to contest a maximum of 85 seats.

“We expect the list of around 85 Congress candidates to be cleared from Delhi latest by Wednesday. There is a general feeling in the party that more youth and women candidates should be included in the list,” the leader said.

Senior Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran, who was sure to have been named for a Thrissur district seat, has announced his decision to back out from the polls.

With state president Chennithala all set to contest, Sudheeran is likely to be the interim state chief, according to sources.

The office of Antony at the party headquarters here was crowded Saturday with poll aspirants, including a number of women workers, waiting to meet the minister. He would be the final deciding factor when the list reaches Delhi.

In a meeting, Antony advised party leaders to ensure that the seat sharing process with the allies is smooth and due regard given to their demands.

Later Antony launched the party’s election website.