THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hectic parleys by the BJP’s central election committee to finalise candidates for the assembly elections continued late into Saturday night and the final candidate list is expected to be released on Sunday.
BJP state chief K Surendran said the party will contest in 115 seats while the rest will be allocated to NDA constituents.
The central leadership is reportedly keen on fielding former union minister and Rajya Sabha MP Alphons Kannanthanam and actor-MP Suresh Gopi.
While Kannanthanam may be fielded from Kanjirappally, Suresh Gopi may be allotted Thrissur.
Sources said Surendran is being considered for Manjeshwar in Kasaragod district where he lost the previous assembly election by 89 votes. Metroman E Sreedharan is likely to contest from Palakkad.
With the candidature of Union Minister V Muraleedharan being ruled out, the party is also trying to find a suitable replacement in A+ constituency Kazhakkoottam where he contested the previous election.
The central leadership also wants to field R Balashankar, co-convener, BJP national training programme, in Chengannur.
The leadership is understood to have approved the candidature of Kummanam Rajasekharan from Nemom, P K Krishnadas from Kattakkada and C K Padmanabhan from Dharmadam.
“No Congress leader with a spine will contest in Nemom,” said Surendran.
list likely today
Kannanthanam may be fielded from Kanjirappally while Suresh Gopi may be allotted Thrissur.
State president K Surendran being considered for Manjeshwar constituency in Kasaragod.
With V Muraleedharan out of the fray, BJP is trying to find a replacement in Kazhakootam.
Central leadership wants BJP training programme co-convener R Balashankar in Chengannur.