Kerala Mahila Congress chief Lathika Subhash quits, tonsures head over denial of poll ticket

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress' Mahila chief Lathika Subhash submitted her resignation saying she was hurt after denial of party ticket from Ettumanoor seat, she shaved off her head in front of the Congress office in the state capital as a mark of protest.

The senior leader took the step shortly after the grand old party in New Delhi released the list of candidates for the April 6 state Assembly polls.

Subhash, 56, said the party was short of women candidates and pointed out that in list of 86 candidates released by Congress there are only nine women.

"I am saddened by the candidate selection of KPCC. We sought for 20 per cent seats for women.. But at least expected one woman candidate from each district. But those women leaders who used to work for the party have been totally ignored," she told reporters outside the Congress office.

Though she categorically denied that she will quit the Congress party or join any other but would work as an ordinary party worker. "I will neither go to BJP, nor will I join the CPI(M). Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are my leaders," she was quoted as saying by PTI.

Earlier, the Kerala Congress (Joseph) group, an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) announced the candidate list for the upcoming elections. The party will contest 10 seats. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has been allotted 27 seats

Also, the Left Democratic Front(LDF) has also released the partial candidate list for the upcoming elections. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will contest from Dharmadam, KK Shailaja from Mattannur, Kadakampally Surendran from Kazhakkoottam, and KT Jaleel to contest from Thavanoor.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released the list of candidates for 112 seats for the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala.

The elections in the state will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.