NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its first list of candidates on Saturday, naming 195 contenders across the country. Among the notable mentions was the surprising selection of Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a three-time Rajya Sabha member, as the BJP‘s candidate for the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala.
The Thiruvananthapuram battleground has intensified with Chandrasekhar’s entry, challenging the stronghold of Congress heavyweight Shashi Tharoor, who has held the seat since 2009.Despite Congress not yet disclosing its candidates for the Lok Sabha, the BJP’s announcement has set the stage for a high-stakes contest.
The nomination of the Union minister for the Thiruvananthapuram seat reflects the BJP’s strategic attention to the southern states, where its electoral influence was relatively modest in 2019, securing just 29 seats out of 129 (130 when including Puducherry).
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, currently serving as the minister of state for skill development and entrepreneurship, electronics, and information technology, brings a wealth of experience, having collaborated with global tech giants like Intel. His parliamentary journey started in 2006 when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha, representing Karnataka.
Tharoor, the incumbent MP for Thiruvananthapuram, boasts a diverse background as an international civil servant and diplomat. Both candidates share experience as Members of Parliament in different houses and have served as ministers in the Union government.
The Thiruvananthapuram battleground has intensified with Chandrasekhar’s entry, challenging the stronghold of Congress heavyweight Shashi Tharoor, who has held the seat since 2009.Despite Congress not yet disclosing its candidates for the Lok Sabha, the BJP’s announcement has set the stage for a high-stakes contest.
The nomination of the Union minister for the Thiruvananthapuram seat reflects the BJP’s strategic attention to the southern states, where its electoral influence was relatively modest in 2019, securing just 29 seats out of 129 (130 when including Puducherry).
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, currently serving as the minister of state for skill development and entrepreneurship, electronics, and information technology, brings a wealth of experience, having collaborated with global tech giants like Intel. His parliamentary journey started in 2006 when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha, representing Karnataka.
Tharoor, the incumbent MP for Thiruvananthapuram, boasts a diverse background as an international civil servant and diplomat. Both candidates share experience as Members of Parliament in different houses and have served as ministers in the Union government.
Despite the BJP’s strategic move, the left’s dominance in Kerala cannot be overlooked. The 2019 Lok Sabha polls witnessed a closely contested battle between CPI’s C Divakaran and BJP’s Kummanam Rajasekharan, indicating that Kerala’s capital is poised for an intense and closely watched electoral showdown in the southern state.
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The grand old party, Congress, is yet to unveil its list of candidates, leaving the political landscape charged with anticipation as the electoral drama unfolds.