Kerala elections 2021: Lathika Subhash to contest as an independent candidate

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15: Just a day after resigning as the chief of Mahila Congress and carrying out a tonsure protest against the denial of ticket, former Congress leader Lathika Subhash is all set to contest the upcoming Assembly election as an independent candidate from Ettumanoor, Kottayam.

In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Subhash allegedly said that the party was 'neglecting' Mahila Congress and its workers. "Congress had miserably failed to understand the feeling of Mahila Congress and its workers. As a woman, I feel this is planned neglect against us. None of the Mahila Congress representatives had got the ticket to contest in the election," she said.

The former Congress leader made the announcement while addressing a gathering in Ettumanoor. The 56-year-old former All India Congress Committee (AICC) member said that she had told Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former defence minister AK Antony that she would tonsure her head in protest if she was not given a ticket for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

According to reports senior party leaders, including former CM Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala said that Subhash was 'adamant about being allocated Ettumanoor' and did not give any option to the party leadership for allocating any other seat.

"She gave the alternative option only after all the decisions were made in Delhi. By then everything was decided. It was unfortunate," Chandy was quoted as saying by the agency report.

The Congress announced candidates for 86 seats of the 92 it is contesting and has fielded nine women candidates. In Ettumanoor, the LDF has fielded V N Vasavan and the UDF has put up Prince Lukose.