THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP is determined to open an account in Kerala this time in the Lok Sabha elections. The one donning the battle suit on the battlefield of the capital may not be someone ordinary. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Malayalee and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar, even the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heard.

Sitting MP and Congress Working Committee member Shashi Tharoor has declared that he is not afraid even if Modi comes. BJP State President K Surendran's reaction was that anything can happen. Thiruvananthapuram will be one of the VVIP constituencies that the country is looking forward to. Union External Affairs Minister V Muraleedharan may be the BJP candidate in Attingal. Preparations for the same have started.

Actor Suresh Gopi is all set to contest for the third time in Thrissur, another prestigious constituency. The rehearsals for the campaign have started. AK Antony's son and BJP national secretary Anil may contest in Ernakulam. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and party leader Krishna Kumar are being considered for Palakkad. Kummanam Rajasekharan in Pathanamthitta, PK Krishnadas in Kannur and state president K Surendran in Kasaragod are also under consideration. BJP national vice president and former MP AP Abdullakkutty may contest in Malappuram.

Thushar Vellappally again?

The BJP central leadership has started efforts to field NDA constituent BDJS president and NDA state convener Thushar Vellappally this time as well. Thushar, who was seeking the Thrissur seat, contested against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad last time on the demand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In the last NDA National Committee meeting held in Delhi, Modi and Amit Shah had suggested Thushar to contest this time as well. It is not clear whether he will contest in Wayanad itself. Apart from Wayanad, BDJS also contested the Alathur, Idukki and Mavelikkara parliamentary seats last time. This time, the party has asked BJP for seven seats.

Rubber Board Vice Chairman Unnikrishnan Chalakudy, Spices Board Chairman A.G. Thankappan, and ITDC Director Board member K Padmakumar are also under consideration as BDJS candidates.