Two candidates, one

from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the other from the Opposition Congress, have filed nomination for the August 24 by-election to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala, official sources said on Friday.

M V Shreyams Kumar of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), an ally of the ruling LDF, and Lal Varghese Kalpakavadi of the Congress party had on Thursday filed their nomination papers before the Kerala Legislative Assembly Secretary, who is the returning officer.

In the 140-member Assembly the LDF has 91, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has 45, BJP and Independent has one each and two seats are vacant.

The bypoll was necessitated following the death of 83-year-old media baron and veteran socialist, M P Veerendra Kumar on May 28.

Veerendra Kumar's term was to end in April,2022.

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