CPM fields five independents
 in Kerala

The independents finding place in the list of party candidates declared on Thursday are Joyce George (Idukki), Philiphose Thomas (Pathanamthitta), Abdul Rehman (Ponnani), Christy Fernandez (Ernakulam) and Innocent (Chalakkudy).

The CPM has retained sitting MPs in four constituencies. They are A Sampath (Attingal), P K Biju (Alathur), M B Rajesh (Palghat) and P Karunakaran (Kasargod). The party candidates in the other six constituencies are M A Baby (Quilon), C B Chandrababu (Aleppey), N M Shamseer (Vatakara), P K Sainaba (Malappuram) and P K Sreemathy (Kananur).

The CPM has picked up Joyce George, the legal advisor of the High Range Protection Committee, to cash in on the simmering anger among the people in Idukki district against the Kasthurirangan panel report declaring several hilly areas as ecologically fragile.

He will be facing Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose, who replaces sitting MP PT Thomas, who earned the wrath of the Catholic Church for opposing the ‘propaganda’ that the report was against the people in the high ranges. As a legal advisor of the High Range Protection Committee, Joyce George, a high court advocate, enjoys the support of the Church that was in the forefront of the agitations against the Kasturirangan panel report.

Though the agitation has lost its momentum following the issuance of a draft notification exempting 123 villages in Kerala from the ecologically sensitive areas by the federal government, the CPM hopes that the people mobilized by the High Range Protection Committee will vote for Joyce George.

Innoccent, who is entering the fray as the CPM independent, is a popular Malayalam actor known for his comedy roles. He is contesting for the Chalakkudy which was won by K P Dhanapalan of Congress by a margin of more than 70,000 votes.

The CPM has opted for Christy Fernandez, a Gujarat cadre IAS officer and Secretary to former President Prathibha Patil, with an eye on the Latin Catholic votes in Ernakulam constituency. He will take on sitting MP and Union Minister K V Thomas. Both belong to the Latin Catholic community, which has a sizeable presence in Ernakulam.

Another surprise is the choice of AICC member Philipose Thomas to contest from Pathanamthitta seat. He was the DCC president of Pathanamthitta district when he resigned from Congress after he was denied Lok Sabha seat.

• India