Lok Sabha election: Rajeev Chandrasekhar may enter the fray from Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatiya Janata Party is getting battle ready for the 2024 Indian general election. Party sources have hinted that Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar could contest from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency.

Chandrasekhar may be included in the core committee of the Kerala unit of the BJP as a prelude to his electoral contest from the seat where the party fancies it chances after consistent good outings over the last few polls.

BJP central leaders have reportedly indicated to the State leadership that Chandrasekhar is a front-runner for the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.

He has been asked to take part in programmes focusing on Thiruvananthapuram. However, at present, he is carrying on with activities centred on Karnataka.

The leadership of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) too is in favour of deploying Chandrasekhar for the poll battle in Kerala.

Party sources claimed Chandrasekhar name was proposed in the first round of discussions for the Thiruvananthapuram seat.

Chandrasekhar is the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology.

Muraleedharan likely from Attingal
Another Union Minister V Muraleedharan has been asked to focus on the Attingal constituency. He is the Union Minister of State for External Affairs .

Shobha Surendran, who contested from Attingal in the last Lok Sabha election, had garnered over 2.5 lakh votes. Sobha was expecting to get the seat once again since she was a familiar figure in the segment. However, after Muraleedharan became the Union Minister, he began focusing his attention on the Attingal constituency and conveyed his interest in the seat to party organisations. This provoked Shobha, prompting her to make public statements against the party leaders.

The national leadership of the party will hold exclusive discussions with the leaders in all States about the political strategies to be adopted for each State ahead of the general elections. Kerala State Chief K Surendran has reached Delhi for taking part in these parleys.

Surendran may stay on
In the run-up to the polls the Kerala unit of the BJP is gripped by factional fights. Public statements being made by Shobha have brought to the fore yet again the internal divisions.

Supporters of State president Surendran have alleged that the rival group is fighting a proxy battle by pitting Sobha in the forefront. The State leadership has decided to ignore the statements being made by Shobha. The faction led by Surendran alleges that the rival group began its fight after realising that he would not be removed from the post of BJP president in the State

The national leadership of the opinion that no useful purpose would be served by merely changing the leaders of the State.