The BJP’s plan to take an early lead over rival fronts by announcing its candidates has been temporarily put on hold. Party sources indicate that the preliminary list of candidates will now be finalised only after BJP national president Nitin Nabin’s scheduled visit to Kerala later this week.
Initially, state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar was expected to forward a draft list of at least 12 candidates to the party’s central parliamentary board by the end of January, seeking early approval. However, the leadership has decided to delay the move to accommodate further consultations during the national president’s visit.
According to sources, the preliminary list is expected to prominently feature senior state leaders who are considered strong vote-getters. Chandrasekhar himself is set to contest from Nemom, while former Union minister V Muraleedharan is likely to be fielded from Kazhakoottam. The list is also said to include three BJP general secretaries—Sobha Surendran, M T Ramesh and Anoop Antony—who are being considered for Kayamkulam, Thrissur and Tiruvalla respectively. However, Sobha Surendran may be shifted to Vattiyoorkavu if NDA ally BDJS stakes a claim to the Kayamkulam seat.
Former state BJP president K Surendran is reportedly being considered once again for Manjeshwar, a constituency he has contested since 2011. Surendran came close to victory in the seat in the past two Assembly elections, losing by narrow margins of 89 votes in 2016 and 745 votes in 2021.
Another former state chief, P K Krishnadas, is expected to contest from Kattakada, where he had previously lost three Assembly elections. Notably, the BJP emerged as the leading party in the Kattakada Assembly segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Senior leader Kummanam Rajasekharan is also part of the draft list, though his constituency is yet to be finalised. He is being considered for Aranmula, Chengannur or Vattiyoorkavu. Additionally, BJP state vice-president Shone George is likely to be fielded from Pala, reflecting the party’s focus on candidates with broader public appeal.
