While the Aam Aadmi Party and Kitex group backed Twenty20 (T20) forum decided not to contest the upcoming bypoll at Thrikkakkara Assembly seat in Kerala, the BJP announced its candidate with high hopes of getting the support of the Christian community by raising issues like 'love jihad'.
AAP state coordinator P C Cyriac said that the party decided not to contest in this election as there was not much political advantage in winning just one seat in the 140-member Kerala Assembly. The party would work with the aim of contesting in all the seats in the next Lok Sabha, local bodies and Assembly elections and try to win in Kerala.
T20 leader Sabu Jacob also stated that T20 also decided not to contest this election as there was not much political significance. In the last Assembly election, the T20 candidate won 10 per cent votes in the constituency.
AAP's political position in this election and alliance with T20 are likely to be announced by party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a public meeting in Kerala on May 15.
Meanwhile, BJP decided to field party state vice president A N Radhakrishnan in the bypoll. Party state president K Surendran said that the party would get the support of the Christian vote banks of the region also as it was taking up issues like 'love jihad'.
BJP candidate S Saji had secured over 15,000 votes in 2021 and over 21,000 votes in 2016 against just 5,900 in 2011.
(Published 08 May 2022, 14:28 IST)
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