The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its candidates for 11 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. It is yet to announce its candidate in the Kazhakuttom constituency.
While O. Rajagopal, the incumbent legislator in Nemom, BJP’s first-ever seat in Kerala, 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.
Despite remaining winless in a series of electoral battles (the latest being the General 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 P.K. Krishnadas, who is yet another former state president, will contest from the Kattakkada 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 the General elections of 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 Poojappura ward.
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 General 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 the party state general secretary P. Sudheer will represent the NDA in Attingal that has been reserved for SC candidates this time.
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., the Pappanamcode councillor in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, will become the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in Chirayinkeezhu. Hotelier S. Rajasekharan Nair will contest from the Neyyattinkara constituency.
The BJP has allotted three constituencies in the district to its allies. While Bharath Dharma Jana Sena has fielded Aji S.R.M. and Thazhava Sahadevan from Varkala and Vamapuram respectively, Kerala Kamaraj Congress leader Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan will contest from Kovalam.
