New Delhi – Discussions over the remaining candidates for India’s upcoming assembly elections are ongoing, delayed by disagreements over several constituencies and the ambitions of sitting members of Parliament to run for state office. A list of candidates, expected earlier today, has yet to be released.
Congress leaders had initially indicated they would announce candidates for all seats this evening, but a renewed round of debate within the Central Election Committee (CEC) prompted intervention from Rahul Gandhi, according to reports. Gandhi reportedly advised Kerala leaders to reconvene and discuss the matter before returning to the CEC meeting. The CEC meeting continued late into the night following these discussions.
The committee is currently considering candidates for 40 seats in addition to the 55 already announced on March 16, 2026. Disagreements center on constituencies including Kochi, the sitting seat of Perumbavoor, and several seats in Thiruvananthapuram.
A general consensus has emerged against allowing members of Parliament to contest, which would likely favor T.O. Mohanan in Kannur and Satheesh Kochuparambil in Konni. Potential candidates include K.S. Sabarinath (Nemom), V.S. Sivakumar (Aruvikkara), T. Sharatchandra Prasad (Kazhakkoottam), Sanal (Parassala), N. Sakthan Nadar (Neyyattinkara), Ravi Palode (Vamanapuram), Kahar Varkala (Varkala), Meenangal Kumar (Nedumangad), Babu Prasad (Chengannur), M. Liju (Kayamkulam), Reego Raju (Alappuzha), Mohammed Shiyas / Deepthi Mary Verghese (Kochi), Tony Chammany (Vypin), Deepak Joy (Tripunithura), Ullas Thomas / Manoj Moothedan (Perumbavoor), T.P. Shaji (Pattambi), Joseph Vazhakken (Ettumanoor), Roy K. Paulose (Idukki), Mini Prince (Udumbanchola), Syriac Thomas (Peerumedu), Sandeep Varier (Thrikkarippur), B.P. Pradeepkumar (Uduma), P.T. Ajamohan (Kunnamkulam), Pazhukulam Madhu (Ranni), Abin Varkey (Aaranmula), Nattakam Suresh (Kanjirappally), Joseph Vazhakken (Ettumanoor), Aloysius Xavier (Poonjar), Sanjay Khan (Punalur).
