CPI(M) announces LDF's Kerala candidates for 2019 Lok Sabha polls: Full list here

The CPI(M) has announced a list of candidates who will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the state's 20 seats.

The list includes six sitting MLAs from the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government in Kerala, of which four are from the CPI(M) and two are from the CPI. Just two of the candidates are women.

The following is the list:

1.  Thiruvananthapuram- C Divakaran - CPI
2. Attingal - A Sampath - CPI(M)
3. Kollam - K N Balagopal - CPI(M)
4. Alappuzha- A N Arif CPI(M)
5. Pathanamthitta- Veena George - CPI(M)
6. Idukki- Joyce George - IND
7. Kottayam- V N Vasavan - CPI(M)
8. Eranakulam - P Rajeev - CPI(M)
9. Thrissur- Rajaji Mathew Thomas- CPI
10. Chalakudy- Innocent- CPI(M)
11. Ponnani - P V Anwar - IND
12. Malappuram- V P Sanu - CPI(M)
13. Alathur - P K Biju - CPI(M)
14. Palakkad - M B Rajesh CPI(M)
15. Vadakara - P Jayarajan- CPI(M)
16. Kasargod- K P Satheesh Chandran - CPI(M)
17. Kannur - P K Sreemathi CPI(M)
18. Kozhikode- A Pradeep Kumar - CPI(M)
19. Wayanad- P P Suneer - CPI
20. Mavelikara- Chittayam Gopakumar- CPI

The 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Kerala had seen the Congress-led UDF being whittled down to 12 seats from 16 earlier. All these seats had been gained by the CPI(M)-led LDF which won eight seats in all, and two years later, displaced the Oomen Chandy-led UDF government in the state in the assembly elections.

As per Republic TV's January National Approval Ratings, the UPA is projected to deliver a comeback in the Lok Sabha polls by winning 16 seats while the LFD is projected to win just 4.

Parties are increasingly declaring their candidates, with the announcement of election dates expected soon. The Congress made perhaps its biggest announcement two days earlier, declaring that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi would both be contesting the polls from their current constituencies - Rae Bareli and Amethi, while Salman Khurshid will be contesting from Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party has also made an announcement - this with regards to party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's seat. He'll be contesting from Mainpuri.

Kerala represents the Left's best chance at continuing its representation in Parliament.