Congress may take a fortnight to finalise its candidates list

Thiruvananthapuram: The list of candidates of Congress will be finalised only towards the end of this month.

The Pradesh Election Committee of Congress in Kerala will meet on March 23 to consider preliminary list prepared by KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. It may propose changes to the list though the Committee is unlikely to deviate much from the list prepared by the three member committee.

The committee will be finalising the preliminary list in a day after discussions with committees set up at the district level, and submitting it to the AICC on Tuesday.

Congress is planning to contest more seats than it contested in the 2011 Assembly polls. However, constituents of the United Democratic Front (led by the Congress) other than Muslim League have stepped up their demands.

The RSP is demanding eight seats and further talks have been deferred to Friday. Kerala Congress (J) is insisting on Ankamali  or Muvattupuzha constituency for Johnny Nelloor besides Piravom for Anoop Jacob.  It has also raised demands for at least two other constituencies.

The Communist Marxist Party wants Kunnamkulam for C. P. John to contest.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Marxist Party has announced that it would be contesting 10 seats.