<p>Thiruvananthapuram: A fire-brand leader of the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=BJP">BJP</a>, Sobha Surendran has been improving the party's vote share considerably in almost all the elections she contested since 2004. </p><p>The 51-year-old is now contesting from <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Kerala">Palakkad </a>where the party came second in the last three elections, including a by-poll. </p><p>By fielding a woman candidate, the BJP hopes to cash-in on the series of sexual allegations faced by sitting MLA Rahul Mamkootathil of the Congress. </p>.Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Thrissur turns saffron as PM Modi's roadshow draws over 50,000 people.<p>Congress has now fielded actor, television personality and stand-up comedian Ramesh Pisharody and CPI (M)-backed independent candidate N M R Razak, who runs a popular biryani centre in in city. </p><p>It was Sobha who brought BJP to second place in many constituencies, including Palakkad in 2016, by considerably increasing the party's vote share.</p><p>In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the OBC community leader increased BJP's vote share at Alappuzha by 11 per cent. Even as she was in third place, her performance was considered to have resulted in the defeat of sitting MP A M Ariff of CPI (M) and paved the way of AICC general secretary K C Venugopal's victory.</p><p>Surendran, who got associated with the RSS at a very young age, was even a probable to the party state president post last year. She is now serving as BJP state general secretary.</p><p>Sobha had actively participated in many stirs including the one against entry of women in the 10-50 age group to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. She had also locked horns with BJP former state president K Surendran accusing him of trying to sideline her.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: A fire-brand leader of the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=BJP">BJP</a>, Sobha Surendran has been improving the party's vote share considerably in almost all the elections she contested since 2004. </p><p>The 51-year-old is now contesting from <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Kerala">Palakkad </a>where the party came second in the last three elections, including a by-poll. </p><p>By fielding a woman candidate, the BJP hopes to cash-in on the series of sexual allegations faced by sitting MLA Rahul Mamkootathil of the Congress. </p>.Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Thrissur turns saffron as PM Modi's roadshow draws over 50,000 people.<p>Congress has now fielded actor, television personality and stand-up comedian Ramesh Pisharody and CPI (M)-backed independent candidate N M R Razak, who runs a popular biryani centre in in city. </p><p>It was Sobha who brought BJP to second place in many constituencies, including Palakkad in 2016, by considerably increasing the party's vote share.</p><p>In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the OBC community leader increased BJP's vote share at Alappuzha by 11 per cent. Even as she was in third place, her performance was considered to have resulted in the defeat of sitting MP A M Ariff of CPI (M) and paved the way of AICC general secretary K C Venugopal's victory.</p><p>Surendran, who got associated with the RSS at a very young age, was even a probable to the party state president post last year. She is now serving as BJP state general secretary.</p><p>Sobha had actively participated in many stirs including the one against entry of women in the 10-50 age group to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. She had also locked horns with BJP former state president K Surendran accusing him of trying to sideline her.</p>