Lok Sabha election: BJP prepares probable list of candidates

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state leadership – under pressure from RSS – named Mizoram governor and former state president of the party Kummanam Rajasekharan as its most-preferred candidate from Thiruvananthapuram in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
It is learnt that both state and central leadership of the RSS had communicated to the BJP leadership – in Kerala and the Centre – that Rajasekharan had bright prospect if he was pitted against Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor.

It was against the wishes of RSS state leadership that BJP had stripped Kummanam of his party responsibilities by appointing him as the governor of Mizoram. His political exit on the eve of Chengannur bypoll last year was an unexpected move that surprised everyone, including those in BJP.
Sources said that BJP state leadership had submitted its list of desirable candidates for each Parliamentary seat. While most candidates on the list can be fielded from more than one seat, the name of Rajasekharan figured only in Thiruvananthapuram. The other acceptable replacements for the seat are actor Suresh Gopi and K Surendran. While Gopi is also being considered for Attingal and Kollam seats, Surendran might be fielded from Thrissur or Kozhikode.
Another surprise name on the list is Sasikumar Varma, a member of the erstwhile royal family from Pandalam, for the Pathanamthitta seat. BJP state general secretary MT Ramesh is also being considered for the same seat.
BJP general secretary A N Radhakrishnan is another candidate the party may field in Ernakulam or Thrissur. General secretary Sobha Surendran has been recommended for both Attingal and Palakkad seats. Former party presidents in Kerala C K Padmanabhan and P K Krishnadas were recommended as candidates in Kozhikode and Kasaragod.
Ravisha Tantri – who contested in Kasaragod assembly seat – is being considered for Kasaragod Parliament seat. Palakkad party president C Krishnakumar is being considered for the Palakkad seat.
There may be some change depending on the seat-sharing agreement with NDA partners and the observations by the party’s central leadership. As of now, state president P S Sreedharan Pillai has not been included in the list. But he might be considered as a candidate in Pathanamthitta or Thiruvananthapuram later.