Karunakaran's daughter denied ticket

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 6. The Congress high command today decided against giving into Mr. Karunakaran's pressure tactics by denying the party nomination to his daughter, Ms. Padmaja Venugopal. Her name does not figure in the list of 88 candidates released by the party this evening.

Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, general secretary in-charge of Kerala told newsmen that the party could not give Ms. Padmaja a ticket on two accounts. The Chalkudy seat that she sought a ticket from was occupied by a sitting MLA, Prof. Savitiri Lakshman and besides that her name did not figure in the Pradesh Election committee list or in the list of names recommended to the Central Election Committee by the Screening Committee.

Significantly, the party has decided to renominate 35 out of its 36 MLAs, the sole exception being Ms. Rossama who wanted a change of constituency. Prominent amongst those who figure in the list are the CLP leader, Mr. A.K. Antony, former Ministers, Mr. Ommen Chandy and Mr. G. Karthikeyan.

The Central Election Committee of the party had at its meeting, a few days back, cleared 81 names leaving the remaining 7 names for the Congress president to decide. Of these, the Sultanbatteri seat and the Ranni seat went to Mr. N. D. Appachan and Ms. Bijili Panveli respectively. The Kayamkulum and Malampuzha went to Mr. M. M. Hasan and Mr. Sateeshan Pacheini, while the Kottayam and Parasala were given to Mrs. Merci Ravi and Mr. Sundaram Nadar .

Releasing the list this evening, Mr. Azad said that the party had gone purely by the winnability criteria while deciding the candidates. He said his party had taken care to strike a social balance a give representation to all sections of the society. According to Mr. Azad, the party had given seats to 23 OBCs , 26 Nairs, 8 Muslims, 19 Christians, 10 SCs, 8 STs besides nominating 8 women.

While Mr. Azad maintained that the party did not recognize any group in the party and had gone purely on merit, the Antony group according to party sources enjoys a slight edge in the list of names released here. Mr. Karunakaran had to settle for 34, while Mr. Antony's group got 40, while 9 of Mr. Chennithala's supporters found favor as did five from Mr. Vayalar Ravi's group.

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Section  : Southern States
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