THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the BJP in Kerala readies itself for an Assembly election it believes could deliver its best-ever performance, the party has narrowed its focus to a small clutch of proven vote-pullers who have consistently outperformed the broader organisational baseline. These leaders have already been linked to constituencies identified internally as the BJP’s most winnable seats.
Based on its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the party’s strongest bets include state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former state chiefs V Muraleedharan and K Surendran, and firebrand leader Sobha Surendran. With the exception of Chandrasekhar, who entered electoral politics only in 2024, all are seasoned campaigners with experience across Assembly and parliamentary contests.
Chandrasekhar was fielded from Thiruvananthapuram barely six weeks ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and went on to deliver the BJP’s best-ever showing in the constituency.
The entrepreneur-turned-politician has expressed his preference to contest from Nemom, where he secured a lead of over 22,000 votes against Congress leader and then three-time MP Shashi Tharoor. “More than (Chandrashekhar’s) organisational role, it is his record-breaking margin in Nemom that makes him a natural choice there,” said Karamana Jayan, BJP Thiruvananthapuram city unit chief.
V Muraleedharan, tipped to be fielded from Kazhakkoottam, first made his mark in the constituency in 2016 by finishing runner-up. He reinforced his credentials in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Attingal, emerging topper in both the Kattakada and Attingal Assembly segments.
K Surendran has reportedly indicated his interest in contesting from Vattiyoorkavu. In 2024, Surendran took on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. Though he finished third, the BJP nearly doubled its vote share in the constituency.
Sobha Surendran, the BJP’s most recognisable woman leader in the state, recorded the party’s third-highest vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Alappuzha. She is the frontrunner for the Kayamkulam Assembly segment, where she narrowly trailed Congress heavyweight K C Venugopal by around 1,400 votes. However, the possibility of the central leadership fielding her from Palakkad cannot be ruled out.
Kattakada and Attingal assembly segments, where the BJP finished first in the previous Lok Sabha election, are likely to see former state president P K Krishnadas and state vice-president P Sudheer, respectively, as candidates.
“Unlike previous elections, the party will this time concentrate on 30–35 constituencies where it has consistently polled over 30,000 votes. The strategy is to channelise the party machinery in these strongholds so as to secure at least 10 seats,” said a senior leader.