SIXTEEN CANDIDATES IN THE FRAY IN ERNAKULAM

15 candidates to contest from Chalakudy

Sixteen candidates remain in the fray in the Ernakulam Parliament constituency and 15 in Chalakkudy Parliament constituency for the April 10-Lok Sabha polls.

Electoral scene in the two constituencies became clear when the time for withdrawal of nominations expired at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. A meeting chaired by District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam thereafter assigned symbols to various candidates.

On the final day for the withdrawal of nominations, four candidates backed out in Ernakulam and three in Chalakkudy. Twenty-two candidates had filed nominations from Ernakulam and 21 from Chalakkudy.

Two electronic voting machines will have to be used in Ernakulam, as one machine can accommodate only 16 names. This means that another machine will have to be engaged solely for NOTA (None of the Above) button, which is a latest entrant in this election to enable voters to express their dissent with all the candidates in the fray. However, the number in Chalakkudy constituency is exactly 16, including NOTA.

Candidates in Ernakulam constituency with their party and symbols:

K.V. Thomas, INC, hand; A.N. Radhakrishnan, BJP, lotus; Christy Fernandez, independent; television; Anita Pratap, AAP, broom; Karthikeyan, BSP, elephant; M.K. Krishnankutty, CPI (ML), red star and saw; Chandrabhanu, SRP, telephone; Densil Mentus, JD (U), arrow; Sulphikar Ali, SDPI, ceiling fan; Anilkumar, independent, gas cylinder; Kishore, independent, shuttle; Juno John Baby, independent, ice cream; N.J. Pius, independent, autorickshaw; K.V. Bhaskaran, independent, pot; Rajaneesh Babu, independent, camera; and P.T. Radhakrishan, independent, bat.

Candidates in Chalakkudy constituency with their party and symbols:

Adv. B. Gopalakrishnan, BJP, lotus; P.C. Chacko, INC, hand; Innocent, independent, pot; M.G. Purushothaman, BSP, elephant; Annama Joy, All India Trinamool Congress, flower and grass; K. Ambujakshan, Welfare Party of India, gas cylinder; Jayan Konikara, CPI(ML) red star and saw; K.M. Noorudheen, AAP, broom; Shafeer Mohammed, SDPI, ceiling fan; Saji Thuruthykunnel, Siva Sena, bow and arrow; Abdul Kareem, independent, bat; Jaison Panikulangara, independent, walking stick; Edappally Basheer, independent, autorickshaw; Baburajan, independent, battery and torch; Vincent, independent, television.