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Sunday, Mar 14, 2010
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Rajya Sabha polls: CPI(M) to field Balagopal, Seema

Special Correspondent

Antony to file nomination papers on Monday

UDF candidate A.K. Antony and LDF candidates K.N. Balagopal and

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State CPI(M) has decided to field former DYFI president K.N. Balagopal and All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) State president T.N. Seema in the Rajya Sabha elections.

The Congress Election Committee also completed the formalities of nominating Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony as the Congress candidate.

The CPI(M) announced the decision to field Mr. Balagopal and Ms. Seema, both members of the party State committee, after the party State secretariat meeting here on Saturday morning. Mr. Balagopal is currently political secretary to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan. He had also served as national president of the Students Federation of India (SFI).

Ms. Seema had given up her teaching career to become fully active in politics. She was a member of the team of leaders who were part of the ‘Nava Kerala Yatra' led by CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is sure of winning two of the three seats that are going to the polls this month. After tough bargaining lasting over a fortnight with the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), the CPI(M) had decided to keep both the seats to itself.

Although the names of a few senior leaders had done the rounds as probable party candidates, the final decision to field Mr. Balagopal and Ms. Seema indicate that the party leadership had decided to infuse fresh blood into its parliamentary wing.

The biennial elections to the three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala are slated to be held on March 26.

The last date for filing nominations for the elections is March 16.

The scrutiny of nominations would take place the same day and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 19. Mr. Antony will file his nomination papers on Monday.

The Congress Election Committee unanimously recommended Mr. Antony's candidature for the AICC to make the formal announcement.

The Election Committee meeting was presided over by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala.

Congress Working Committee member K. Karunakaran and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy were among those who attended the meeting, a statement of the KPCC said.

Mr. Antony will arrive in the capital on Sunday night, say party sources. Even though the United Democratic Front partners had put up their claims for the lone seat that the Opposition coalition can win, it was almost certain from the beginning that Mr. Antony would be re-nominated for the seat.

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