Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala:
With just two days left for the close of nominations for the April 10 Lok Sabha polls in Kerala, several prominent candidates of ruling Congress-led UDF, opposition LDF and BJP today entered the fray.
Congress leader P C Chacko, who headed the JPC on 2G spectrum allocation, filed papers in Chalakkudi while CPI(M) politbureau member M A Baby (Kollam) and senior BJP leader O Rajagopal (Thiruvananthapuram) too joined the contest.
LDF-backed cine actor Innocent filed his nomination from Chalakkudi.
Other LDF candidates to file nominations included sitting MPs M B Rajesh (Palakkad), P Karunakaran (Kasargode) and P K Biju (Alathur).
Former state minister and CPI(M) Central Committee member P K Sreemathy filed papers in Kannur in north Kerala.
Retired civil servant Christie Ferandes filed nominations in Ernakulam seat as LDF independent to take on Union Minister K V Thomas of Congress.
Others who hit the electoral arena are Bennet Abraham (CPI-Thiruvananthapuram), C B Chandrababu (CPI-M Alappuzha), JD-S MLA Mathew T Thomas in Kottayam and CPI-M's P K Sainaba in Malappuram.