Thrissur: With a few months remaining for the assembly elections in Kerala, the CPM is considering taking over the CPI’s traditional stronghold of Thrissur through a seat-sharing arrangement and fielding an “unexpected” candidate. According to reports, the party is weighing the option of nominating Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, who studied and grew up in Thrissur.

Brittas, an alumnus of Don Bosco School and Kerala Varma College, has extensive personal and social connections in the constituency. His wife’s family is also based in Thrissur. Party leaders believe that if Brittas contests, a broad network of supporters cutting across political lines would mobilise to ensure his victory. There is also an assessment within the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) that his candidature could benefit the alliance across the state.

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The party feels that Brittas’s interventions on issues such as Manipur violence and the nun assault case could help attract votes beyond the Left’s traditional base. As part of the proposed arrangement, the CPI would be compensated with another constituency within the district.

In the last assembly polls, CPI’s sitting MLA P. Balachandran had won the seat by a narrow margin of 946 votes. Since then, the LDF’s vote share in the constituency declined in the subsequent Lok Sabha election. In the local body polls, the UDF captured the Thrissur Corporation with a large majority, while LDF candidates slipped to third place in several divisions. In three divisions, LDF candidates polled fewer than 200 votes.

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Discussions are also underway within the alliance to persuade Balachandran to step aside for the upcoming election. However, sources say he has expressed interest in contesting for a second term.

At the same time, strategies are being explored to completely eliminate factionalism within the party. As part of this effort, there are also moves to project T. Sasidharan as a candidate.