Published Jan 06, 2026 | 6:11 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 06, 2026 | 6:11 PM
Karthik Premachandran and NK Premachandran with Rahul Gandhi. (Facebook/KarthikPremachandran).
As political parties slip into election mode, closed-door discussions have intensified around candidate selection, constituency allocation and, above all, winnability. This is also the season when familiar surnames quietly make their return to the ballot, often repackaged as ”new faces.”
Amid this churn, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), having roots in the Anushilan Samiti, is preparing to unveil yet another fresh entrant. In a party that speaks the language of ideology and class politics, the transfer of power has often resembled a family trust.
Senior leader Baby John, who served multiple terms as a minister, eventually passed the baton to his son, Shibu Baby John. Earlier, TK Divakaran, one of the RSP’s founding figures, saw his son Babu Divakaran rise to become both legislator and minister under the party’s banner.
Despite its ideological claims, the RSP has long woven nepotism into the fabric of its internal politics.
With Assembly elections approaching, all eyes are now on Kollam, where yet another son appears poised to step into the political arena.
Sitting MP from Kollam NK Premachandran’s son, Karthik Premachandran, is being seen as a potential new face.
Though not formally active in politics, Karthik played a visibly active role in the previous Lok Sabha elections, taking charge of organisational coordination and campaign management for his father, winning applause from even UDF allies.
The significantly improved victory margin in Kollam is now being cited by party leaders as evidence of Karthik’s electoral potential. Within party circles, there is growing acknowledgement that senior RSP leaders, along with sections of the UDF leadership, have been encouraging his formal political entry, viewing him as a candidate with recognisable local acceptance.
Eravipuram Assembly constituency, long considered an RSP stronghold, is reportedly being explored as the launch pad for Karthik’s political debut.
The constituency stood with RSP from 1967 to 2011, barring 1991, when PKK Bava of the IUML won the seat. M Noushad of the CPI has been representing the constituency since 2016.
However, the IUML has a renewed interest in the Eravipuram seat. The Muslim League has reportedly proposed Noushad Yunus, son of senior leader Yunus Kunju, as its candidate.
The IUML’s demand now carries greater weight following its strong performance in the recent local body elections. The party not only expanded its footprint in southern districts but also registered a vote share higher than that of the CPI, strengthening its claim over Eravipuram.
At the same time, the RSP is pushing Karthik Premachandran, citing his family’s long political legacy as a potential advantage in the constituency. However, the proposed candidature has triggered dissent within the party.
A section of RSP leaders argues that a local face should be prioritised over outsiders or political heirs.
Responding to these concerns, RSP leader Shibu Baby John dismissed the criticism as baseless speculation typical of the pre-election period.
Meanwhile, names actively discussed within sections of the party for Eravipuram include MS Gopakumar and Sudheesh Kumar. Once considered an RSP stronghold, the constituency slipped from the party’s grasp in both 2016 and 2021 following the alliance realignment.
