T’Puram/Kochi: CPM on Sunday announced it will contest 86 assembly seats in Kerala and declared names of 81 candidates, including six CPM-backed independents and 10 women. Soon after, several CPM candidates took to the streets, held rallies and started campaigning on Sunday itself. CPM state secretary MV Govindan said that out of the 86 candidates, 75 will be from the party. He said the names of independent candidates in five constituencies – Koduvalli, Kottakkal, Palakkad, Kondotty and Tirur – would be announced later. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will contest from Dharmadom. His 11 cabinet colleagues and 54 sitting MLAs will also contest re-election. Govindan also said that the candidate for Thiruvananthapuram Central would be decided after the court’s verdict on the case against MLA Antony Raju on Monday. Party-backed independent T Ashok Kumar will contest from Mahe in Puducherry. He said the LDF is confident of retaining Adhikari for the third consecutive term as it is important for building Nava Keralam and opposing communal forces. However, VD Satheesan of the opposition Congress claimed on Sunday that the UDF will form the government in the state. He said the full list of UDF candidates would be released on Monday. He said at a press conference in Kochi that the selection of candidates focuses on their ability to win. “Team UDF is entering the elections with confidence and hope. The front will return to power in Kerala with over 100 seats,” Satheesan said. He predicted the success of the UDF’s ‘Mission 26’, saying that ‘Mission 25’ has already secured four corporations and seven district panchayats, while two more are within reach. Although the CPM is trying to present the narrative that its MLAs are popular, individual popularity does not determine electoral success; Satheesan said, political circumstances make this happen.