Probability list for 52 constituencies; discussions with RSS regarding BJP candidates

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP state election committee has submitted the list of candidates for 52 constituencies in the assembly elections to the central leadership, but it has been instructed to consider the opinion of the RSS. Following this, a joint meeting of BJP and RSS leaders was held in Aluva the other day. The central leadership has also instructed not to rush in selecting candidates.

The election committee includes party national general secretary and state election in-charge Vinod Tawde, state election in-charge Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar; former state presidents K Surendran, CK Padmanabhan, PK Krishnadas, V Muraleedharan, Kummanam Rajasekharan; Union ministers Suresh Gopi, George Kurien; state general secretaries S Suresh, Shobha Surendran, Anoop Antony, MT Ramesh along with P Sudheer, Shaun George, KK Aneesh Kumar, Navya Haridas. The central leadership will announce the candidates for Kerala in various stages along with the candidates for the other four states where assembly elections are being held.

Contest in 90 constituencies

• BJP will contest in 90 constituencies. Allied parties including BDJS and Twenty20 will contest in about 50 constituencies
• BJP candidates will be selected in three categories: 10 constituencies with the best chance of winning, 42 constituencies with the best chance of performing, and the remaining 48 constituencies

Leaders make their presence known

Although candidates have not been announced, prominent leaders have started campaigning actively in some constituencies. Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Nemom, V. Muraleedharan in Kazhakoottam, P.K. Krishnadas in Kattakada, K. Surendran in Manjeswaram, Shaun George in Pala, Anoop Antony in Thiruvalla, and Sandeep Vachaspati in Chengannur have started their activities.

Shobha Surendran, R. Sreelekha, and actor Krishnakumar in Vattiyoorkkavu, Karamana Jayan in Thiruvananthapuram, Rajasekharan Nair in Chenkal, Kummanam Rajasekharan in Aranmula, M.L. Ashwani in Kasaragod, P. Sudheer in Attingal, M.T. Ramesh in Thrissur, C. Krishnakumar in Malampuzha, and B. Gopalakrishnan in Kodungallur are being considered. Shobha Surendran is also being considered in Kayamkulam, Haripad, Chengannur, Aroor and Palakkad. There are also plans to field former DGP Jacob Thomas in Thrissur, Ollur or Irinjalakuda.