Rebels give Kerala candidates sleepless nights

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With campaigns for the May 16 Assembly polls in Kerala intensifying, rebel candidates and namesakes seem to be posing a threat to the winning prospects of candidates, especially those from the Congress-led UDF.
While UDF candidates face the threat of rebels the most, including on many seats they currently hold, CPI(M)-led LDF and BJP-led NDA seem to have less number of rebels as per the final candidate list.
The last date for withdrawing nominations was Monday and finally, 1203 candidates are in the fray for 140 seats.
Even though the main battle is between UDF and LDF, the NDA has made the electoral contest triangular in many constituencies.
K C Joseph, the state's minister for rural development and a close confidant of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, is seeking an eighth term to the Assembly from Irikkur. He is among the prominent UDF candidates facing rebel threat.
It is significant that Joseph's candidature had been objected to by local Congress workers. However, ignoring the protest, the party leadership decided to field him.
Rebel Congress leader Binoy Thomas is taking on Joseph under the banner 'Save Congress'. Sitting MLAs P C Vishnunath (Chengannur), K M Shaji (Azhikode), and Domenic Presentation (Kochi) also face the rebel threat.
Former MLA Shobhana George, who was denied a ticket this time, is actively campaigning against Vishnunath.
Once a strong loyalist of former chief minister late K Karunakaran, Shobhana had filed her nomination papers in the last assembly polls also. But she withdrew at the last minute following the intervention of senior party leaders.
However, she refused to budge to the pressure from the party leadership pressure this time. She said she has decided to contest this time as the party leadership "failed" to meet the promise that she would be given a ticket this time.
K M Shaji, who is contesting against CPI(M)'s journalist-turned-candidate M V Nikesh Kumar, faces a huge threat from P K Ragesh, who came into the limelight after winning as a rebel against the official candidate in the last civic polls.
Former district panchayat member K J Lenus presents a strong threat to the winning prospects of Kochi MLA Domenic Presentation, while Kerala Congress (M) leader C F Thomas faces a stiff challenge from Youth Congress leader K Suresh who is contesting as an Independent in Changanassery.
Namesakes, who ensured many prominent candidates did not win in the previous polls, are in the fray in some constituencies this time as well.
RMP's candidate in Vadakara and the widow of TP Chandrasekharan, KK Rema, is one of the contestants facing such a threat.
UDF's K S Sabarinathan and K Babu, LDF's Antony Raju and M Swaraj also face similar threats in their respective constituencies.