The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is set to determine its initial list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala. The party’s 17-member State Secretariat meeting, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is underway in Thiruvananthapuram. Following party protocol, the Secretariat will nominate members for the electoral race before seeking approval from district committees.
Once the Secretariat finalizes the candidates, the proposed names will be forwarded to district committees for endorsement. Subsequently, upon receiving clearance at the district level, the list will be sent back to the State leadership for the final selection process. Notable members of the present Secretariat include Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, State Ministers, and key party leaders like M V Govindan and K. K. Shailaja.
The party’s leadership is approaching the candidate selection process cautiously, especially after facing setbacks in the recent local body polls. With the CPI(M) eyeing a third consecutive term, the focus is on regaining lost ground in traditional strongholds. Despite controlling only one out of the State’s six Corporations currently, the party is strategizing for a strong electoral performance in the upcoming elections.
