Suspense over Pathanamthitta BJP candidate continues

The suspense continues in the Lok Sabha poll scenario in Kerala, as the BJP did not announce the candidate for Pathanamthitta where the Sabarimala temple is situated, even as candidates for all the other seats in Kerala were announced.

Former Governor of Mizoram Kummanam Rajasekharan and Union minister Alphonse Kannanthanam are the prominent personalities among the 13 candidates in Kerala announced on Thursday.

Kummanam has been fielded at state capital Thiruvananthapuram, one of the constituency in which the BJP pins high hopes, and Alphonse at Ernakulam.

Over the last few days, a fierce tug of war has been going on in the BJP with party state president P S Sreedharan Pillai and general secretary K Surendran pressing for Pathanamthitta constituency.

A social media campaign was even on for Surendran. The RSS was also pressing for Surendran, who led the stir against the entry of women in the 10-50 age group to the shrine.

Tom Vadakkan, who recently shifted from the Congress to BJP, is not among the 13 candidates for Kerala announced on Thursday.

Of the 20 constituencies in Kerala, the BJP will be contesting in 14, Bhart Dharma Jana Sena in 5 and Kerala Congress led by P C Thomas in 1.