Specific Information Service
KOCHI: For the LDF, the denial of the ticket to TM Thomas Isaac, the finance minister within the outgoing Left authorities, means a brand new face will maintain the workplace if the entrance returns to energy. Likewise is the case with the UDF after the 2019 demise of veteran politician Ok M Mani, who had been a everlasting fixture within the entrance’s finance ministry for the previous a number of phrases.The names being mentioned for the finance portfolio within the LDF camp are Ok N Balagopal, P Rajeev and Ok Ok Shailaja. Within the UDF, after a number of many years, Congress is predicted to take again the portfolio from Kerala Congress. The title being extensively mentioned is V D Satheesan.
Balagopal, who’s an LLM holder, is predicted to have a straightforward outing from the Left bastion of Kottarakkara. As a Rajya Sabha MP in 2010, he had raised a number of points associated to finance and had participated in Finances debates. His brother Ok N Harilal, a professor on the Centre for Improvement Research, Thiruvananthapuram, is a member of the State Planning Board.
“It stays to be seen if the brand new LDF authorities will give the important thing portfolio to Balagopal, who is comparatively a recent face although he has been a Rajya Sabha MP,” stated Jose Sebastian, an economist and retired affiliate professor at Thiruvananthapuram-based Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation. He stated P Rajeev, who can also be a former Rajya Sabha MP and contested from Kalamassery this time, might have a greater probability at securing the portfolio.
In accordance with one other supply, nonetheless, Rajeev’s clear-cut views on the training sector makes him a most popular candidate for the training portfolio. The issue confronted by Rajeev, nonetheless, is that the competition in Kalamassery shouldn’t be simple. “It’s a neck-and-neck struggle there because the constituency is a UDF stronghold,” added the supply.
Shailaja, who is predicted to win simply from Mattannur, can also be a powerful contender for the finance portfolio if the Left involves energy once more. “For her good work within the well being ministry, Shailaja trainer deserves an improve in her portfolio. In addition to, it should additionally ship out the message that she’s the second in command within the ministry, given the truth that all different senior Communist leaders have been denied a seat this time,” stated one other supply.
Although Jose Ok Mani, if his KC(M) wins six or extra seats, might stake declare for the finance ministry, it’s unlikely that the CPM will permit this key portfolio to be dealt with by a junior associate, the supply added.
In the meantime, if the UDF beats all pre-poll surveys to come back to energy, V D Satheesan — who is predicted to win simply from Paravoor — would be the selection for the finance ministry portfolio, sources stated. “He’s recognized for his curiosity in finance-related points. I might say he’s a powerful contender for the place if UDF involves energy,” stated Ok V Joseph, economist and director at Institute of Worldwide Migration and Improvement.
Satheesan had put the LDF authorities on the defensive on varied finance-related points within the meeting over the previous 5 years. His YouTube channel ‘Dialogue with VDS’, the place he interviewed a number of key economists and businessmen together with Isaac, was well-received by netizens.
