Kurian, Ismail, Rajan set to enter Rajya Sabha

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 16 (UNI) Congress leader P J Kurian, CPI(M) member P R Rajan and CPI's K E Ismail today filed their nominations for the three vacant Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala.

With only three candidates filing their nominations for as many seats, their election to the Upper House of Parliament is almost certain.

In the 140-member Kerala Assembly, the ruling Marxist-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has 98 seats and the United Democratic Front (UDF) 42.

The LDF finailised the candidates without much trouble, but a crisis arose in the UDF over the decision of the Congress to contest the seat.

The Kerala Congress (Mani), a constituent of the UDF, threatened to dissociate from the election process in protest against the denial of the promised seat to them. Party leader K M Mani said he would not take part in the UDF meeting till justice was done to his party.

Similarly, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) was also opposed to the manner in which the Congress took away the seat from it.

However, the Congress argued that it was necessary for the party to strengthen its numbers in the Rajya Sabha in the present political scenario.

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