THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai has submitted the list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections to the party’s central leadership. This has happened after talks with the key ally BDJS was completed.
In the mother of all contests, Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan has got the first preference for the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency.
The other leaders who found a place in the panel from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat are Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi and Sreedharan Pillai.
In fact, Suresh Gopi’s name was included from Kollam LS seat too. BJP State general secretary Sobha Surendran is being currently considered from Attingal and Palakkad LS seats. A list of probable candidates was discussed when BJP’s national organising general secretary Ramlal had come to Thiruvananthapuram.
M.T. Ramesh and K. Surendran are being considered for the Pathan-amthitta and Kasaragod seats. In fact, Mr Surendran is also being considered from Thiruv-ananthapuram seat as well. Mr Pillai told DC that he and BDJS president Tushar Vellapally will lead the election campaign. Former BJP state president P.K. Krishnadas is being considered from Attingal.
“We will be leading the election campaign like two siblings. So how is it possible for us to contest the LS elections? Now the ball is in the court of the BDJS to decide on their candidate from Thrissur. At the same time, BJP central leadership will announce a candidate later,” said Mr Pillai.
Mr Tushar told DC, “As of now, I will not be contesting from anywhere, including Thrissur Lok Sabha seat.” He added that within the next week, a high level meeting of the BDJS will be convened to take a final decision on their party’s candidature. Mr Tushar’s comment is slightly tricky as there is a general feeling that he is keen to contest from Thrissur, but his father and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan is against Yogam representatives contesting Lok Sabha elections. Tushar is also the vice-president of SNDP Yogam.
Meanwhile, a section of BJP leaders are unhappy with the first list of candidates as they alleged that it has not been discussed in the core committee meeting. Former DGP T.P. Senkumar has not been included in the list owing to his remarks against former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan on the Padma Bhushan.
