CPI finalises candidates for Lok Sbaha polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With two more days for the issue of election notification for the April 10 Lok Sabha polls in Kerala, CPI, second largest partner in the CPI(M) led LDF has finalised candidates in four seats it is contesting.

Former member of Public Service Commission and a prominent member of the Church of South India Bennet P Abraham has been named as the candidate for Thiruvananthapuram.

Party sources said Abraham's name was cleared despite objections from several members of CPI-M'S state executive and state council.

Chengara Surendran (Mavelikara), C N Jayadevan (Thrissur) and Sathyan Mokeri (Wayanad), are the other candidates.

The party state committee met here yesterday and gave approval to the candidate list.

LDF is meeting later in the day to finalise the list of candidates after which a formal announcement would be made, sources said.

LDF has allotted Kottayam seat to JDS in which Mathew T Thomas, presently MLA from Thiruvalla assembly constituency will be the candidate.