The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its first list of 47 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, signalling the start of its campaign in the state. The list includes several senior leaders, prominent faces and a few newcomers as the party looks to expand its presence in Kerala’s political landscape.
One of the most notable names in the list is Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who has been fielded from the Nemom constituency in Thiruvananthapuram district. Nemom is considered an important seat for the BJP, as it was the constituency from which O. Rajagopal became the party’s first MLA in the state during the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election.
The party has also nominated Union minister George Kurian from Kanjirappally. Former Union minister V. Muraleedharan will contest from Kazhakkoottam, while former BJP Kerala president K. Surendran has been fielded again from Manjeswaram in Kasaragod district.
Among other candidates, senior BJP leader Sobha Surendran will contest from Palakkad, while C. Krishnakumar has been nominated from Malampuzha. In Thrissur, the party has fielded Padmaja Venugopal, who recently joined the BJP. Former IPS officer R. Sreelekha has been named as the candidate from Vattiyoorkavu.
Party leaders said the first list reflects an attempt to combine experienced politicians with fresh faces from different professional backgrounds. The candidates were finalised by the BJP’s central election committee after consultations with state leaders.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is aiming to strengthen its position in Kerala, where politics has traditionally been dominated by the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front. By fielding well-known leaders and new entrants, the party hopes to broaden its support base ahead of the elections.
Kerala has a 140-member Assembly, and political activity in the state is expected to intensify in the coming weeks as parties release more candidate lists and step up their campaigns.
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