Thiruvananthapuram: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday formally launched the party’s campaign in Thiruvananthapuram and reaffirmed his interest in contesting the upcoming Assembly elections from Nemom constituency.

He inaugurated the BJP’s wall-writing campaign at Indira Gandhi Junction in Thali under Booth No. 100 in the Kalady ward, marking the beginning of the party’s election activities in Nemom. When asked whether he would be the BJP candidate from Nemom, Chandrasekhar said it was his wish to contest and that the party’s national leadership would take the final decision. He revealed that he had conveyed his intention to contest from Nemom to the national leadership two months ago.

“I will not forget the love I received from the people when I contested the Parliament election here. I have informed the national leadership of my desire to contest the Assembly election from Nemom,” he said.

Chandrasekhar stated that he aimed to bring change to Thiruvananthapuram, pointing to the BJP’s performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the recent local body polls. He added that the people of Nemom were also seeking a significant political shift and expressed confidence that the party leadership would grant him permission to contest.

Criticising both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), which have alternated in power in Kerala, Chandrasekhar alleged that they had failed to address public concerns. He also described the sitting MLA, who serves as a minister representing Nemom, as a “complete failure” who had not resolved the constituency’s issues.

Nemom remains a key constituency for the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram. Senior BJP leader O Rajagopal won the seat in the 2016 Assembly election, while CPM leader and Education Minister V Sivankutty reclaimed it in 2021. The BJP secured a sizeable vote share in Nemom in both the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the 2025 local body polls, strengthening its prospects in the constituency.