Kerala Elections 2026: 50 names finalized, Congress has fewer women candidates
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress’ first list of candidates for the assembly elections will be announced after the Puthu Yuga Yathra led by Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan concludes on March 7. Candidates from 50 constituencies where a single name has been reached, including sitting seats, will be announced first.
Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan and KPCC president Sunny Joseph, who arrived in Delhi, handed over the list of candidates for the agreed seats to screening committee chairman Madhusudan Mistry. The Central Election Committee is likely to meet next week and give final approval to the list.The committee has the right to make changes to the list. Sunny Joseph said that the high command will take the decision related to the candidature of MPs. V.D. Satheesan said that Congress is not concerned about other parties announcing candidates earlier.The Congress is extending the announcement of candidates in view of the possibility of the Kerala elections being held by the end of April. If the candidates are announced earlier, the campaign should start accordingly. That will be an additional financial burden.Although the Congress candidate list for the assembly elections is not finalized, there is little chance of a significant increase in women’s representation. Uma Thomas is the only woman among the sitting MLAs.Mahila Congress leaders Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman are currently the only ones who are certain to be included in the list of candidates. Since it has been decided that all sitting MLAs (except Palakkad and Tripunithura constituencies) will be given candidature, women will not be able to contest in 19 seats. It was rumoured that former minister Jayalakshmi would be considered for Mananthavady, but it is learnt that she was eliminated in the last round. Although she was suggested to contest from Sultanbathery, IC Balakrishnan did not agree. Mananthavady Block Panchayat President Usha Vijayan is likely to be a candidate. It is indicated that former MP Ramya Haridas will contest. Former minister N Ramakrishnan’s daughter Amrutha Ramakrishnan will be the candidate in Kannur if K Sudhakaran MP does not contest.Former MLA Aisha Potty, who left the CPM and joined the Congress, is sure to be a candidate in Kottarakkara. Youth Congress state vice president Aritha Babu may be included in the list, but some others are also being considered in the Kayamkulam constituency. Oommen Chandy’s daughter Mary Oommen’s name is being heard in Chengannur. However, Mary Oommen says that she has not told anyone about her interest in becoming a candidate. It is also heard that the family is not very happy with her entering the electoral arena. In the Congress candidate list, women may not even get ten percent representation in the total number of members in the assembly. K.K. Rema will contest from Vadakara as the RMP candidate.
