BJP's first list of 47 candidates for Kerala polls out; Union Minister George Kurian to contest
Former central ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is the current state chief, and V Muraleedharan, have also been fielded for the April 9 elections
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has seen a gradual growth in Kerala over the past few years and elections, released the first list of candidates for the state Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.
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The saffron party, which is leading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state for an anticipated three-way fight involving the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF), unveiled its list a day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the elections in four states and one Union Territory.
Kerala has 140 Assembly seats, and to form a government, a party/alliance has to get 71. The results will be announced on May 4.
State chief, current Union minister to contest
Among the notable names that the list features are the state BJP president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who will contest from Nemom constituency. Besides Chandrasekhar, V Muraleedharan is another former Union minister who has been picked for the elections and will fight from Kazhakoottam. The BJP also nominated George Kurian, a current Union minister, to contest from Kanjirappally.
Also read: As Kerala goes to polls on April 9, can LDF rewrite history a second time?
Full list of BJP's 47 candidates and their constituencies
♦ K Surendran, Manjeshwar
♦ Manulal Meloth, Udma
♦ Balraj M, Kanhangad
♦ AP Gangadharan, Payyannur
♦ KK Vinod Kumar, Azhikode
♦ C Raghunath, Kannur
♦ P Shyam Raj, Mananthavady
♦ Kavitha AS, Sulthanbathery
♦ K Dileep, Vadakara
♦ Ramadas Manaleri, Kuttiadi
♦ CP Vipin Chandran, Nadapuram
♦ CR Praphul Krishnan, Quilandy
♦ M Mohanan Master, Perambra
♦ CP Satheeshan, Balusseri
♦ T Devadas, Elathur
♦ Navya Haridas, Kozhikode North
♦ T Raneesh, Kozhikode South
♦ KP Prakash Babu, Beypore
♦ VK Sajeevan, Kunnamangalam
♦ Sanku T Das, Shornur
♦ Major Ravi, Ottappalam
♦ C Krishnakumar, Malampuzha
♦ Sobha Surendran, Palakkad
♦ K Balakrishnan, Chelakkara
♦ KK Aneesh Kumar, Manalur
♦ Padmaja Venugopal, Thrissur
♦ Santosh Cherakulam, Irinjalakuda
♦ S Rajendran, Devikulam
♦ Shone George, Pala
♦ K Ajith, Vaikom
♦ George Kurian, Kanjirappally
♦ PC George, Poonjar
♦ Arun Anirudhan, Ambalappuzha
♦ Sandeep Vachaspathi, Haripad
♦ MV Gopakumar, Chengannur
♦ Anoop Antony Joseph, Thiruvalla
♦ Jithin Dev, Karunagappally
♦ Raji Prasad, Kunnathur
♦ R Reshmi, Kottarakkara
♦ BB Gopakumar, Chathannoor
♦ P Sudheer, Attingal
♦ Yuvaraj Gokul, Nedumangad
♦ V Muraleedharan, Kazhakoottam
♦ R Sreelekha, Vattiyoorkavu
♦ Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Nemom
♦ Gireesh Neyyar, Parassala
♦ PK Krishnadas, Kattakkada
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India of the LDF announced more than 100 candidates together for the polls on Sunday (March 15), hours after the commission’s announcement.