Former Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajesekharan, and B Gopalakrishnan, among others, feature in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s second list of candidates for the Kerala Assembly elections. According to the list released on Thursday, March 19, Kummamam will contest from the Aranmula constituency, and B Gopalakrishnan, who is the party’s state vice president, will seek a mandate from Guruvayoor.
The new list has 39 candidates, including former CPI MLA CC Mukundan and reality TV star Robin Radhakrishnan. Two days ago, the BJP released its first list of 47 candidates.
The new list has six women candidates, making the total number of women fielded by the BJP 13 in this election.
Kummanam’s move to the Aranmula constituency, where he was active for most of his political career, comes after an unsuccessful bid to retain the Nemom seat in 2021. Kummanam was the leader of the
Heritage Village Action Council, which conducted agitations against a proposed Aranmula airport.
Gopalakrishnan’s name featured in the list after he openly expressed displeasure over the National Democratic Alliance giving the Kodungalloor seat to its alliance partner Twenty 20.
Nattika MLA Mukundan, who left CPI in protest over allotting the seat to Geeta Gopi, will contest against her on the BJP ticket.
Former Mahila Congress leader Vathsala Prasanna Kumar will contest against Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan in Paravur. A former chairperson of Paravur municipality, Vathsala, switched to Congress last month.
Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary MJ Job, who quit the party over its decision to support former CPI(M) Minister G Sudhakaran, has been given the Alappuzha seat.
Bigg Boss contestant Robin Radhakrishnan, who joined the BJP recently, has been given the Kundara seat.
Prominent leaders like MT Ramesh and AN Radhakrishnan have not found a place in the BJP list so far.
Here is the new list of BJP candidates and their constituencies:
Kasargod Ashwini ML
Kalliasseri A V Sanil kumar
Thaliparamba N Haridas
Dharmadam K Ranjith
Thalassery O Nidheesh
Kuthuparamba - Adv Shijilal
Mattannur - Biju Elakkuzhi
Kalpetta - Prasanth Malavayal
Kondotty - P Subramanian
Ernad - adv N Sreeprakash
Manjeri - Pathmasree M
Perinthalmanna - Adv KP Baburaj
Mankada - Lijoy Paul
Malappuram - Aswathy Gupatha Kumar
Vengara - Jayakrishnan VN
Vallikunnu - M Preman Master
Tirurangadi - Rjiu C Raghav
Tanur - Deepa Puzhakkal
Tirur - K Narayanan Master
Thavanur - Ravi Thelath
Thrithala - V Unnikrishnan Master
Pattambi - Adv P Manoj
Kongad - Renu Suresh
Tarur - Suresh Babu
Chittur - Pranesh Rajendran
Alathur - K V Prasanna Kumar
Guruvayoor - B Gopalakrishnan
Wadakkanchery - T S Ullas Babu
Ollur - Bijoy Thomas
Nattika - CC Mukundan
Pudukkad - A Nagesh
Aluva - MA Brahmaraj
Paravur - Vathsala Prasanna Kumar
Ernakulam - P R Sivasankar
Changanacherry - B Radhakrishna Menon
Alappzha - MJ Job
Aranmula - Kummanam Rajasekharan
Kundara - Robin Radhakrishnan
Kollam - N Prathap Kumar