THERE ARE A FEW SURPRISES BUT NOT A single heavyweight in Congress’ Kerala list announced late on Thursday night. The list includes former UN diplomat and author Shashi Tharoor, who has been fielded in Thiruvananthapuram.
    Senior Congress leader K Karunakaran managed just one seat for his nominee in the list, N Pitambara Kurup, who has been allotted the Kollam seat.
    KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala, who has been a candidate since 1989, and was vying for the Pathanamthitta seat, will not be contesting this time. The newly-created seat has been given to Anto Anthony. Three MLAs —K Sudhakaran (Kannur), K C Venugopal (Alappuzha) and K V Thomas (Ernakulam) are also in the list. Other candidates in the fray include state mahila Congress president Shanimol Usman (Kasaragod), M I Shanavas (Wayanad) and KPCC general secretary M K Raghavan (Kozhikode).
    Former youth Congress leader Satheessan Pacheni will contest the Palakkad seat, while in Thrissur the party has fielded senior leader P C Chacko. Former Ernakulam DCC president K P Dhanapalan is the candidate for Chalakudy while P T Thomas has been given the Idukki seat. The party candidate for newly-created Attingal seat will be G Balachandran. The Congress will also be contesting both reserved seats. Koddikunnil Suresh has been fielded in Mavelikkara and N K Sudhir will run in Alathur. The party did not announce its candidate for Vadakara. Decision on Vadakara is expected to be taken after a UDF meeting on Friday.
    The Congress will contest 17 of the 20 seats, with front partners IUML and Kerala Congress (Mani) fighting the remaining seats. IUML candidates for Malappuram and Ponnani will be minister of state for external affairs E Ahamed and former state education minister E T Muhammed Basheer, respectively. Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani’s son, Jose K Mani, is the party candidate for the Kottayam seat.