Malayalam actor Ranjith 'rethinks' on being Left candidate

Kozhikode (Kerala), March 1 Hugely popular Malayalam film personality, Ranjith, a winner of three national and five Kerala film awards, is again rethinking on contesting the upcoming Kerala Assembly election as a candidate of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front from his home town after initially agreeing.

A source close to Ranjith revealed that initially he was ready, but the series of scams and the subsequent protests have made him think again.

"Knowing him very well, he will not be interested in being just an MLA. To the best of my information, he has been given an assurance that he will get a cabinet post, should the Left retain power.

"But following a series of protests against the present Pinarayi Vijayan government, especially by the youths, and then the deep sea fishing fiasco, Ranjith has gone into a rethinking mode and has asked for a bit more time to make his final decision," said the source, who did not wish to be identified.

Ranjith is being considered for the Kozhikode North Assembly seat, considered one of the CPI(M)'s fortress, which has been the pocket borough of CPI(M) leader A.Pradeep Kumar, for a long while.

Ranjith began as a scriptwriter in the Malayalam film industry in the eighties and from there he graduated to become the director, producer and finally the actor.

( With inputs from IANS )