THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP released its third list of candidates for 11 seats in the upcoming assembly elections on Saturday, with the keenly watched Thiruvanananthapuram seat being allocated to BJP Thiruvananathapuram city president Karamana Jayan.
TV actor Vivek Gopan is the BJP candidate from Aruvikkara. Entrepreneur S Rajasekharan Nair who unsuccessfully contested as BJP candidate from Neyyattinkara in 2021 assembly elections has been re-allocated the seat.
TN Suresh, who joined the BJP after leaving the RJD, has been allocated the Kovalam seat. He is also an officer bearer of the Ezhava community organisation SNDP Yogam.
Other candidates in the third list are: V Ratheesh (Peerumade), Raveendranathan Vakathanam (Puthupally), Ajimon (Mavelikkara), Pandalam Prathapan (Adoor), KR Rajesh (Chavara), RS Arun Raj (Chadayamangalam) and BS Anoop (Chirayinkeezh).
Meanwhile, a total of 40 BJP candidates, including state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, filed nomination for the upcoming assembly election on Saturday, with chief ministers in BJP-ruled states and a Union minister accompanying them. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma accompanied BJP candidates who filed nominations in Nemom (Rajeev Chandrasekhar), Vattiyoorkavu (R Sreelekha), Kazhakkoottam (V Muraleedharan) and Kattakada (P K Krishnadas). Karamana Jayan whose candidature was announced from Thiruvananthapuram will file his nomination papers on Monday.
While Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel accompanied BJP candidates in Manalur, Nattika,Thrissur and Palakkad, Rajasthan Deputy chief minister Prem Chand Bairwa was part of the BJP team that submitted nominations in Elathur and Balussery. Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal accompanied BJP candidates in Kanjirappally and Poonjar.
Peermade: V Ratheesh Puthuppally: Raveendranath Vakathanam Mavelikkara: Ajimon Adoor: Pandalam Prathapan Chavara: KR Rajesh Chadayamangalam: RS Arun Raj Chirayinkeezhu: BS Anoop Thiruvananthapuram: Karamana Jayan Aruvikkara: Vivek Gopan Kovalam: T N Suresh Neyyattinkara: S Rajasekharan Nair