Kochi: NDA ally Twenty20 has announced four new candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, including a last-minute replacement in Ettumanoor following a voter list controversy. The party has also finalised its nominees in Pathanapuram, Muvattupuzha and Punalur on Thursday. 

The most immediate change came in Ettumanoor, where 25-year-old Athira D Nair has been named as the new candidate, replacing actress Veena Nair. Veena withdrew from the race earlier in the day after discovering that her name was missing from the electoral roll.

Athira, an entrepreneur with a Master’s degree in Computer Science and a trained classical musician and dancer, is now the youngest NDA candidate in the state. Twenty20 president Sabu M Jacob said that her local roots and professional background made her an ideal choice to step in at short notice. She had also previously worked as a teacher.

Alongside this replacement, the party unveiled candidates in three other constituencies. In Pathanapuram, Twenty20 has fielded Anil Kumar S, also known as Anil Pillai, a former Indian Air Force officer. A management professional with MBA, MSW and LLB degrees, he currently serves as the National Vice Chairman of the National Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee.

In Muvattupuzha, Sunny Kaduthazhe has been selected as the candidate. A prominent figure in agricultural activism, Sunny is the Managing Director of the Milwaukee Academy and he has led farmer protests against controversial wildlife and agricultural law amendments. He also serves as the President of the Catholic Congress of the Kothamangalam Diocese.

For Punalur, Twenty20 has named advocate B Raghunathan Pillai, also known as Raghunath Kamukumcheri, as its candidate. A seasoned lawyer and former professor at Punalur SN College, he is a long-time associate of the BJP and is entering the Assembly fray for the first time

The latest announcements come in the wake of recent setbacks for Twenty20 over voter eligibility issues. The party had earlier replaced actress Lakshmipriya in Perumbavoor with Jiby Varghese Pathickal after her name was also found missing from the voters’ list.