Thiruvananthapuram, March 4 (NationPress) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), which leads Kerala's government, is set to enter a crucial phase this week as its State Secretariat and Committee meet on Thursday and Friday to finalize candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections.

A senior party figure, who wished to remain unnamed, revealed that these two days of discussions will yield a draft list of candidates, which will then be sent to the 14 district committees for further deliberation at different organizational levels.

The feedback gathered will subsequently return to the State Committee for ratification, allowing for an official announcement by State Secretary M.V. Govindan early next week.

According to sources within the party, the process of selecting candidates is strategically designed to balance winnability, organizational discipline, and leadership renewal.

In constituencies deemed as strongholds for the party, CPI-M has largely followed a two-term norm to encourage generational change.

This strategy previously enabled the entry of A. N. Shamseer from Thalassery, historically known as the political stronghold of former state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

There is much speculation about senior leaders like K.K. Shailaja, who has served in several strong constituencies, and Shamseer, who has also completed two terms.

Insiders suggest that while the two-term principle is a general guideline, exceptions may occur in constituencies where certain candidates could significantly boost victory odds.

At the national level, the party’s Politburo has reportedly decided that only one member of the top leadership will contest in the Kerala polls—Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

This effectively eliminates other senior Politburo members from contention, including A. Vijayaraghavan, whose name had been part of media discussions.

Notably missing from the emerging shortlist are several veteran leaders, including figures from Kannur like M.V. Jayarajan, E.P. Jayarajan, and P. Jayarajan, along with former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, indicating the party’s intention to refresh its electoral lineup.

Despite these shifts, the leadership projects a sense of confidence.

Vijayan has publicly expressed hope about achieving a historic third consecutive term for the Left Democratic Front, while emphasizing the party's tradition of not announcing a chief ministerial candidate before elections.

Although last-minute changes cannot be entirely discounted, insiders believe the chances of major adjustments are minimal, setting the scene for a potentially significant generational transition within Kerala’s ruling party.