The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : DIC(K) announces candidates for 16 seats

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Sunday, Mar 26, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

DIC(K) announces candidates for 16 seats

Special Correspondent

Murali opts out of fray; party seeks two more seats

Thiruvananthapuram: The Democratic Indira Congress-Karunakaran (DIC-K), on Saturday, announced names of its candidates for 16 seats, while deferring a decision on one seat, Chengannoor.

DIC(K) president K. Muraleedharan, while announcing the candidates' list, said he had opted out of the fray. The party has given the ticket to eight of the MLAs who had resigned their seats to join Mr. Karunakaran in forming the DIC(K). The former MLAs T.V. Chandra Mohan and V. Balaram have exchanged their seats. Mr. Chandra Mohan will now contest from Wadakkancherry, while Mr. Balaram will be shifted to Kunnamkulam, which was won by the former in 2001.

The following are the names of candidates: Hosdurg: P. Ramachandran; Sulthan Bethery: N.D. Appachan; North Wayanad: Radha Raghavan; Wadakkancherry: T.V. Chandra Mohan; Kunnamkulam: V. Balaram; Edakkad: K.C. Kadambooran; Koyilandy: P. Sankaran; Ponnani: M.P. Gangadharan; Alathur: A. Raghavan; Vadakkekara: M.A. Chandrasekharan; Piravom: T.M. Jacob; Muvattupuzha: Johnny Nellore; Udumbanchola: Ibrahimkutty Kallar; Kuttanad: Thomas Chandy; Aranmula: Malayath Saraladevi; and Amabalapuzha: D. Sugathan.

Decision on Chengannur

A decision on Chengannur, which returned Shobana George in the 2001 election, has been kept in abeyance as the party has sought two more seats — one each in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.

Mr. Muraleedharan said the merger proposal would be taken up after the elections. During the elections, the workers of the DIC(K) and the Congress would work unitedly. The merger decision would be taken after reckoning the sentiments of the party workers, he said.

Asked about the show of resentment by a section of his party men, Mr. Muraleedharan termed it a natural reaction that would die down once the election campaign got under way. He did not hold the opinion that his credibility had eroded by joining hands with the Congress. He said that even the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which was a cadre-based party, had to change its decision.

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