THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The available core committee meeting of the BJP in Kochi on Sunday decided to hand over a list of probable candidates for Vattiyoorkavu, Konni, Ernakulam and Manjeswaram seats to the RSS leadership, not to the central leadership.
It wanted to field former state president Kummanam Rajasekharan from Vattiyoorkavu. It also decided to part with the Aroor for its NDA ally, BDJS.
Earlier in the morning, Thiruvananthapuram district committee had also supported the former Mizoram governor for Vattiyoorkav, though he maintained that he was not keen to contest.
However, at the core committee meeting, all leaders unanimously wanted him to contest.
At the same time, Sobha Surendran, state general secretary, is expected to be fielded from Konni, though she is not keen as she still feels that her political base is in Palakkad.
"At the meeting, former state president P. K. Krishnadas maintained that general secretary K. Surendran or Ms Surendran should be fielded from Konni. But in the end, it was decided to give her name," a senior leader told DC.
On the list sent to the RSS, state president P. S. Sreedharan Pillai and Mr Krishnadas also figure for Vattiyoorkav. But district president S. Suresh's name has not been included.
A local BJP leader from Ernakulam district will be considered for the seat. State general secretary A. N. Radhakrishnan had already intimated the leadership about his inconvenience.
"The central leadership and the state RSS have put high hopes on Vattiyoorkavu, Konni and Manjeswaram. Central leadership is keen to bring an outsider to contest from Manjeswaram who originally belongs to Mangaluru," added the senior leader.
With Mr Surendran aiming for the state president's post, in all likelihood, it will be a 'fresh face' contesting for the saffron party in Manjeswaram with a strong grassroots base.
