The possible candidatures were discussed at a meeting of the BJP’s Central Election Committee (CEC) held on Thursday at the official residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where the leadership deliberated on candidates and strategy for the state polls. Sources said the panel examined more than 40 assembly seats based on a list of probable candidates prepared by the Kerala unit.
According to party sources, Chandrasekhar is set to contest from Nemom assembly constituency in Thiruvananthapuram district, while Muraleedharan may be fielded from Kazhakootam in the state capital region. Kurian’s name also figures in the list prepared by the state unit from Kanjirapally and one more seat. However, a senior BJP leader told ET that the final decision on Kurian’s candidature will be taken by Modi as he is a serving Union cabinet minister.
The BJP’s CEC also deliberated on the candidature of BJP’s former state president K Surendran, who is expected to contest again from Manjeshwaram near the Karnataka border. Among other prominent leaders, Shobha Surendran is likely to contest from Palakkad. The leadership also discussed the candidature of Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of former Kerala chief minister K Karunakaran, from Thrissur.
As part of its outreach to Christian communities, the BJP plans to field several Christian candidates and has allied with the Twenty20 Party, a registered regional party with influence among Jacobite and Catholic Christians and a presence in rural parts of Ernakulam district.
The meeting also reviewed seat adjustments with BJP’s ally Bharath Dharma Jana Sena. Another regional outfit, the Ramraj Congress, based in Thiruvananthapuram district, may get one assembly seat.
Meanwhile, PC George, who had won multiple times as Kerala Congress nominee before joining BJP, and his son Shaun George are expected to contest from Poonjar and Pala seats, respectively. Party leaders believe BJP’s around 20% vote share in the last Lok Sabha elections provides a base to expand its presence, particularly in the belt stretching from Thiruvananthapuram to Palakkad in south and central Kerala.
