KOCHI: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has allocated five seats for the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), the second-largest constituent of the front in Kerala. According to BDJS leaders, the NDA has allotted Thrissur, Mavelikkara, Idukki, Alathur and Wayanad seats to the party. Considering a request from BJP national president Amit Shah, BDJS president and SNDP Yogam vice-president Thushar Vellappally has consented to contest from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.
Though the names of the candidates have not been finalised, the BDJS is considering Thazhava Sahadevan for Mavelikkara. Sahadevan had contested the 2016 Assembly elections from Kunnathur as the NDA candidate and secured 21,742 votes. He is a state leader of Panan community and the state vice-president of the BDJS. Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS) patron T V Babu is likely to contest as BDJS candidate from Alathur constituency. He had contested as BDJS candidate from Nattika Assembly constituency in 2016 and polled 33,650 votes, garnering 22.49 per cent of the total votes polled.
SNDP Yogam Thodupuzha union former secretary Biju Krishnan will be the BDJS candidate for Idukki LS constituency. He is a former district panchayat member. The party is considering Anto Augustine for Wayanad.