BJP names 112 in Kerala; Cong fields over 50% new candidates

Metro man E Sreedharan and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy were among the prominent names that figured in the candidate list released by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, respectively, on Sunday for the April 6 elections.

Actor Suresh Gopi and leader of opposition in the state Ramesh Chennithala were also given tickets by the two parties for the upcoming polls.

The BJP declared the names of candidates for 112 out of the 115 seats it is contesting for the 140-member legislative assembly.

As per the saffron party’s list, Sreedharan (88) will make his electoral debut from Palakkad district and take on sitting MLA Shafi Parambil. While the party wanted to field him from an urban constituency in Kochi, the Metro Man wanted to contest from Palakkad where he studied and grew up, party leaders said.

BJP state president K Surendran will contest the polls from two seats — Mancheswaram in north Kerala and Konni in Pathanamthitta district. Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi has been fielded from Thrissur district.

Party leader Shobha Surendran was among those who were denied a seat. “I have no complaints. I will work hard for my candidates,” she later said.

In November, Surendran had written to the national party leadership, alleging an attempt within the state unit to humiliate and politically annihilate her.

On the other hand, Congress state president Mullappally Ramachandran announced the names of candidates for 85 out of 91 seats it is contesting alone, in the national capital. The party, which is leading the United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance, has left the remaining 49 seats for its allies comprising Indian Union Muslim League, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Revolutionary Socialist Party and a variety of other smaller parties.

The candidates for the remaining six seats will be announced later, Ramachandran said.

As per their list of candidates, Chandy is seeking re-election from Puthupally constituency in Kottayam district which he has held for more than half a century. Similarly, Chennithala is contesting from his present seat Harippad in Alapuzha district.

With at least 55% of the names declared consisting of new faces, several Congress workers resorted to protests at various places.

At its headquarters in the state capital, Mahila Congress state president Lathika Subhash tonsured her head over denial of ticket. She also stepped down from all party posts.

“My leaders have let me down badly. I have tonsured my head in protest against this move,” she said, adding that the Congress always put women in high esteem but ignored them during seat distribution.

“I joined the party at the age of 16 and now I am 56. Now, I don’t think the party can do justice to women. Not even 10% of the seats are allocated to women. My protest is for all the women,” she said.

State president Mullapally Ramachandran said Subhash was keen on contesting from Ettumanoor (Kottayam) but the seat was given to the Kerala Congress (Joseph). “We are upset that we could not accommodate her. In coalition politics, certain sacrifices are necessary,” Ramachandran said.

Chandy also underplayed the protests, saying it would not hamper the party’s prospects in the upcoming polls.

Sitting MP from Vadakara K Muraleedharan, who is the son of veteran Congress leader K Karunakaran, will contest in Nemom, the only seat in the state currently represented by the saffron party. He will take on former governor Kummana Rajasekharan who is contesting on a BJP ticket.

Last week, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the CPI(M) had released the list of all 140 seats. The CPI(M) is contesting 85 seats, six less than the Congress. The BJP is contesting the most number of seats than any political party in the state.