By IANS,
Kochi (Kerala) : The Congress party will announce its candidate from Kerala to the Rajya Sabha Jan 30, a senior party leader said Thursday.
Senior Congress leader and United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor P.P. Thankachen told reporters here that the name of the candidate will be announced after a meeting of the top brass of the party is held in the state capital Friday.
The Rajya Sabha teures of Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, senior Congress leader Thennala Balakrishnan and Communist Party of India-Marxist leader K. Chandran Pillai end next month.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has 98 members while the United Democratic Front (UDF) has 42 members in the 140-member state legislative assembly – the electoral college for the Rajya Sabha.
With more seats in the assembly, it is expected that the LDF will romp home with two seats while the UDF will win one.
“Hectic discussions are on in Delhi and it will be finalised there itself and tomorrow (Friday) it would only be a mere announcement here,” said a Congress leader who did not wish to be identified.
The names of state chief of the Congress Ramesh Chennithala, Vayalar Ravi and 90-year-old K. Karunakaran are doing the rounds for the lone seat the Congress, the dominant party in the UDF, can win from the state.
“Staking a claim by Karunakaran is nothing but a ploy to secure a seat to his nominee when the 17 candidates are finalised for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections,” added the Congress leader.