Kerala Assembly elections: Sreedharan, Alphons in BJP listing, Surendran in fray from 2 seats

The BJP on Sunday launched the listing of candidates for the April 6 Kerala Assembly elections, together with its state president Okay Surendran, Metro Man E Sreedharan, former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan, and former Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam.
BJP nationwide govt committee member P Okay Krishnadas, former DGP Jacob Thomas, movie artiste Krishnakumar, and the previous V-C of Calicut University. Abdul Salam, have additionally been given tickets. The occasion has dropped its veteran and lone legislator O Rajagopal, who opened the account for the occasion in Kerala by successful the Nemom constituency within the 2016 elections. The BJP has changed Rajagopal with Kummanam Rajasekharan, and the Congress has fielded senior chief Okay Muraleedharan on the seat.
BJP former state president C Okay Padmanabhan will contest in opposition to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the Dharmadam seat. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, who’s a Rajya Sabha member, will contest from Thrissur. Senior chief Sobha Surendran has not been given a ticket.

BJP state president Okay Surendran is contesting from two constituencies: Manjeswar in Kasaragod and Konni in Pathanamthitta. Surendran had misplaced Manjeswar within the final elections by 86 votes. He had unsuccessfully contested a bypoll in Konni final yr.
Of 140 seats within the Kerala Assembly, BJP is contesting 115, whereas NDA ally BDJS is contesting 25.
On giving tickets to well-known public figures, a celebration common secretary mentioned: “Acceptable public faces can brighten the party’s prospects, enhance its image and make it more acceptable to voters.”
BJP sources within the nationwide capital mentioned the occasion is fielding acquainted faces to “make the best of its chances” in a state the place energy has alternated between the CPM-led LDF and Congress-led UDF.
Rajya Sabha MPs Gopi and Kannanthanam had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, however had been defeated. Gopi was defeated by T N Prathapan in Thrissur and Kannanthanam misplaced to Hibi Eden, each of the UDF. While Gopi is making an attempt his luck once more in Thrissur, Kannanthanam is contesting from his hometown Kanjirappally.
The transfer to discipline state chief Surendran at two seats the place the occasion has appreciable affect in some pockets, has angered some leaders. “Not even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan or former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is contesting in two constituencies. This will just spoil the prospects of the party in both constituencies,” mentioned a celebration chief from the state.
“This has not gone down well within the party, leadership or even the cadre. This can be interpreted as a non-serious approach from the national leadership,” mentioned a nationwide workplace bearer.

Although he had expressed his willingness to contest, Union Minister V Muraleedharan’s title was not within the listing of BJP candidates introduced on Sunday.
The BJP had not gained any Lok Sabha seat, however the NDA had secured 15.20 per cent of the vote in 2019, rising its share from 10.85 per cent in 2014. In the 2016 Assembly elections, the BJP had a vote share of 14.96 per cent.