Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to unveil its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kerala within the next one or two days. The announcement is slated to coincide with the culmination of the Kerala Padayatra led by BJP state president K Surendran, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make an appearance on February 27.
Today, the BJP central leadership will engage in final discussions with the state party leadership. Among the potential candidates, Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, actor Shobana, and film producer-cum-actor Suresh Kumar are being considered to challenge sitting MP Shashi Tharoor in the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram constituency.
The first list will include candidates for Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Chalakkudi Lok Sabha seats.
Speculation surrounds the candidature of P C George and his son Shone George for the Pathanamthitta seat. Additionally, Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai's name has been proposed to the central leadership by a faction within the party. In the Chalakkudy constituency, the party is contemplating an alliance with the popular Twenty20 party and considering fielding an independent candidate to secure the seat.
Shobana's name has been doing the rounds ever since her participation in the BJP's women's meet in Thrissur, attended by Prime Minister Modi. At the event on January 3, the actor commended Modi for passing the women's reservation bill and expressed her admiration on witnessing the massive rally. Shobana also shared a picture from the event, labeling it a 'huge fan moment'.
