Thiruvananthapuram: With Congress announcing its candidates after the usual last-minute drama, decks are now clear in Kerala for the traditional battle between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) for choosing the State's 20 Lok Sabha nominees.

Yet to make an electoral breakthrough in the State, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) too is making efforts this time leaving the impression of a three-horse race in a few constituencies.

The Congress, contesting 17 seats leaving two to allies Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and one to Kerala Congress-M was neck-deep in troubles to sort out the names of party candidates due to intense factional rivalry in the State unit.

Now that the final list is out, the UDF has to take a few extra steps to catch up with the LDF, which has head start in the run-up having announced its nominees about a month back.

The final Congress list, with no changes from the original, has overlooked the claims of groups in the party other than the two led by Chief Minister A K Antony and Karunakaran, who stuck to their earlier suggestions.

The so-called "third and fourth" groups had resented the plums in the electoral cake going to the Karunakaran family, where the father was given the Rajya Sabha berth, the daughter (Padmaja Venugopal) Lok Sabha ticket and son (K Muraleedharan) was made a Minister and is now contesting an Assembly by poll.

The CPM has re nominated its sitting members Suresh Kurup (Kottayam), A P Abdullakutty (Kannur), Varkala Radhakrishnan (Chirayinkeezhu) P Rajendran (Kollam) N N Krishnadas (Palakkad) and S Ajayakumar (Ottappalam), while fielding fresh faces like P Karunakaran (Kasaragod), P Satheedevi (Vatakara), Lonappan Nambadan (Mukundapuram) and T K Hamsa (Manjeri).

The Congress, while re-nominating five of its sitting members - V S Sivakumar (Thiruvananthapuram), Ramesh Chennithala (Mavelikkara), Kodikkunnil Suresh (Adoor), A C Jose (Thrissur) and V M Sudheeran (Alappuzha) - chose to repose confidence on the new-found bonhomie between Antony and Karunakaran while selecting candidates for the other seats.

Despite Antony group men protesting against the candidature of Edward Edezhath, an English professor with little party background for Ernakulam, his position was safe in the list with Antony okaying Karunakaran's choice.

The attempts from several quarters, including senior leaders, to get Mukundapuram nominee Padmaja Venugopal's name deleted from the party list did not succeed as also that of V Balaram (Kozhikode), who was given ticket for vacating the Vadakkanchery Assembly seat to enable Electricity Minister K Muraleedharan to get into the House.

Another surprise entrant to the list was Karnataka-based businessman N A Mohammed for the Kasaragod seat. Though he had Congress leanings, he had not worked for the party in the State. Former Union Minister Mullappally Ramachandran, who lost last time from Kannur, has been fielded again against the same opponent.

The LDF has some experienced hands in the battlefield, including former Chief Minister P K Vasudevan Nair (CPI-Thiruvananthapuram), former Union Minister M P Veerendrakumar (JD-S-Kozhikode) and former State Ministers and CPM nominees Lonappan Nambadan (Mukundapuram) and T K Hamsa (Manjeri).

The CPM has also chosen a new face, Manoj Kurisinkal, who is not an activist but is contesting on party symbol, to take on veteran V M Sudheeran in Alappuzha, while the party again fielded independent candidate Sebastian Paul from Ernakulam. Paul had wrested the seat from UDF in the by-poll held last year.

The BJP, which is not a major player in the State, is pinning its hopes on the Thiruvananthapuram seat, where Union Minister O Rajagopal is contesting. Sitting member V S Sivakumar (Congress) has strong opponents in CPI leader P K Vasudevan Nair and Rajagopal in the key triangular contest.

Another interesting fight is on in Moovattupuzha where IFDP (Indian Federal Democratic Party) leader and Union Minister P C Thomas is pitted against his parent party, the Kerala Congress-M Thomas, now in the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) company, is opposing none other than Jose K Mani, son of his former leader K M Mani. LDF is also hoping for a win through P M Ismail (CPM) with chance of split in UDF votes.

Mavelikkara also has an interesting triangular contest with former Congressman and Union Minister S Krishnakumar, who recently switched to BJP entering the fray against the Congress' Ramesh Chennithala. C S Sujatha (CPM) is the LDF candidate in the constituency.

The BJP has fielded local leader Balakrishna Shetty in Kasaragod, its stronghold in the State.