KOCHI: Expecting the declaration of assembly election in Kerala next week, the BJP leadership has asked senior leaders to start preparations in their constituencies.
Meanwhile, the national leadership has taken a stand that senior leaders of all NDA allies should contest. While Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president Thushar Vellappally is considering to contest from Kuttanad, Twenty20 chairman Sabu M Jacob has refused to contest and prefers to coordinate the campaign.
The NDA has allocated Kayamkulam and Kuttanad constituencies to the BDJS in Alappuzha district. Though the BJP wanted to field senior leader Sobha Surendran from Kayamkulam, the BDJS refused to concede the seat. This forced the BJP to shift Sobha to Palakkad.
Sobha, who arrived in Palakkad on Thursday has sought the blessings of senior leaders of the RSS before launching the campaign. Curiously, the BDJS has now demanded Aroor seat where the BJP has increased its vote share to 45,000 in the recently held local body polls. The seat may either go to the BDJS or the BJP national leadership may introduce a surprise candidate there.
Former state president K Surendran had started working in Manjeshwaram constituency in the first week of February itself. State vice-president C Krishnakumar has been meeting people in Malampuzha constituency for more than a month.
The BJP had polled more than 45,000 votes in these constituencies in the local body polls. BJP Palakkad East district president Prasanth Sivan, who was considered for Palakkad seat may now get Alathur constituency. The party may field spokesperson Sanku T Das in Shoranur.
The arrival of Twenty20 has forced the BJP to concede most of its seats in Ernakulam district. The Twenty20 has claimed most of the seats including Thrikkakara, Kunnathunad, Perumbavoor, Kothamangalam and Vypeen. Though Paravur seat was allocated to the BDJS, the party may agree to concede the seat for former municipal chairperson Valsala Prasannakumar, who recently joined the BJP. The BJP will get only Tripunithura, Ernakulam and Paravur seats in the district.
Though the BJP had polled around 40% votes in Kodungallur municipality in the local body polls, the party may hand over the seat to Twenty20.
In Thrissur district, the BJP pins its hopes on Nenmara, Puthukkad, Nattika, Manalur, Vadakkanchery, Chelakkara and Irinjalakkuda where the party has widened its support base in the Lok Sabha election. BDJS leader M R Anurag may contest from Nenmara while BJP leader A Nagesh may be fielded in Puthukkad.