Lok Sabha polls: Left Front fields CPI's Annie Raja from Wayanad

A native of Kannur in Kerala, the senior CPI leader is the general secretary of National Federation of Indian Women. Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi is most likely to be in the fray for the second consecutive time against Raja.

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI senior leader Annie Raja will contest as Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate at Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, where Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi is most likely to be in the fray for the second consecutive time.

CPI decided to field a candidate of national stature at Wayanad as Congress's national leader is all likely to contest again from the high-range constituency.

Raja, who is a native of Kannur in Kerala, is general secretary of National Federation of Indian Women. She is also the wife of party national general secretary D Raja.

Annie Raja told reporters that she would assure the people of Wayanad that she would be always with the people of the constituency in all situations.

CPI as well as CPM had repeatedly raised objections against Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad citing that it would affect the opposition's joint fight against the BJP at the national level as BJP is not the main political opponent of the Congress in Kerala.

CPI, which is contesting from three other seats in Kerala, decided to field former MP and veteran leader Panniyan Raveendran in Thiruvananthapuram where Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is likely to seek mandate for the fourth time in a row.

Former minister V S Sunil Kumar will be fielded at Thrissur, where the BJP is planning to field actor-turned politician Suresh Gopi with high hopes of opening account to Lok Sabha from Kerala.

Youngster C A Arunkumar will be fielded at Mavelikara to take on Congress's three-time MP Kodikunnil Suresh.