The Congress party got a shock in Kerala as Mahila Congress state chief Lathika Subhash tonsured head to protest denial of seat in April 6 Assembly elections. After KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran announced the party's candidates on Sunday, the 56-year-old realised that she was denied a ticket from Ettumanoor, her home-town. An emotional Lathika tonsured her head in front of the Congress office in Thiruvananthapuram as a symbol of her protest against women getting less representation in the Congress' candidates' list for year.

Speaking to media, she said "The Mahila Congress had demanded 20 per cent representation for women in the party's candidates' list. I had hoped that the party would field at least one woman in each district." Subhash also pointed out that Bindhu Krishna had to cry on Saturday to get her name included in the candidates' list. She also said she would not quit the Congress or join any other but would live from now onwards as an ordinary party worker.

It may be noted that of the list of 86 candidates released by the Congress, only nine are women.