Kottayam: Unhappy with both the Congress-led UDF and the CPI-M led LDF, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala on Saturday decided to field independent candidates in seven constituencies for the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
The decision was taken at a meeting of church authorities, a church official said.
This was the first time the church, which has pockets of influence in some of the constituencies, would be fielding its candidates. The decision was taken as the church felt the successive LDF and UDF governments failed to consider the problems of the church so far, he said.
As per the primary list, Prof G John will contest from Pathanamthitta constituency, Mathew Cherian from Kollam, Dr V A Phillip from Kottayam and Bose Abraham from Idukki constituency, he said.
Three more candidates will be announced tomorrow for Eranakulam, Thrichur and Wayanad.
In the other constituencies, the church would support candidates of democratic and secular forces. The working committee of the church authorities would be held on Monday in which they would decide the date for submitting nomination papers, the official said.
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