The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its candidates for 10 Assembly seats in the district on Sunday.
Indicating its intention to put up a tough fight in the capital district, the party has fielded a few political heavyweights, including two of its former State presidents in the district. It is yet to announce its candidate in the Kazhakuttam constituency.
The party also announced the candidature of Kerala Kamaraj Congress leader Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan in Kovalam on the day.
While O. Rajagopal, the incumbent legislator in Nemom, will not be in the fray, the party’s former State president and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan will contest in his place to retain the constituency, the BJP’s first-ever seat in the State. Despite registering no victories in a series of electoral battles (the latest being the Lok Sabha elections of 2019 when he contested from the Thiruvananthapuram Parliament constituency), the veteran leader is credited with having led a surge in the party’s vote share in various constituencies in the district of late.
BJP national executive member and former State president P.K. Krishnadas will contest from the Kattakada constituency for the third time on the trot. His increasing vote share has instilled confidence among party workers in the region. He had previously contested from the Thiruvananthapuram Parliament constituency in 2009.
The party’s district president, V.V. Rajesh, has been fielded from the Vattiyurkavu constituency. Despite losing in the Assembly polls twice (Vattiyurkavu in 2011 and Nedumangad in 2016), Mr. Rajesh tasted success recently when he was elected to the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation from the Poojappura ward.
In Nedumangad
Another senior BJP leader, J.R. Padmakumar, will be in the poll fray in the Nedumangad constituency. The party’s State treasurer has contested twice in Lok Sabha elections and four times in Assembly polls in the past. Actor Krishna Kumar, who recently joined the BJP, is set to fight an electoral battle for the first time from the Thiruvananthapuram segment.
BJP State secretary C. Sivankutty will contest from Aruvikkara, while State general secretary P. Sudheer will represent the NDA in Attingal that has been reserved for Scheduled Castes candidates this time.
In Parassala
The BJP is betting on its State secretary Karamana Jayan to win from the Parassala constituency where he had contested five years ago. Asha Nath G.S., councillor representing Pappanamcode in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, will become the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in Chirayinkeezhu. Hotelier S. Rajasekharan Nair will contest from the Neyyattinkara constituency.
Front partners
The BJP has allotted three constituencies in the district to its allies. The Bharath Dharma Jana Sena had announced the candidature of Aji S.R.M. and Thazhava Sahadevan from Varkala and Vamanapuram respectively earlier.