BJP to contest in 97 seats, releases final list, Karamana Jayan in Thiruvananthapuram, Vivek Gopan in Aruvikkara

The BJP on Saturday released the third list of candidates for the Kerala Assembly elections. BJP Thiruvananthapuram City District President, Karamana Jayan, will contest from Thiruvananthapuram. The party has already announced candidates in 86 seats.

Karamana Jayan was instrumental in the BJP's historic win in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation elections in 2025. He wields considerable influence in city wards under the corporation. Two Congress leaders who quit the party and joined the BJP were allotted seats.

Former Youth Congress state General Secretary and KPCC Executive member R S Arunraj will contest as a BJP candidate from Chadayamangalam. BS Anoop, who had contested as the Congress candidate in the 2021 assembly elections in Chirayinkeezhu, will contest from the same constituency as the BJP candidate.

Anoop has said that he joined the BJP in protest against Congress's anti-Dalit stand. Arunraj quit the Congress after the party decided to support expelled CPM leaders T K Govindan and Kunhikrishnan in Taliparamba and Payyannur, respectively. Film and serial actor Vivek Gopan has also been given a seat.

Candidates in 11 seats are as follows:

Peerumade - V Ratheesh

Puthuppally - Raveendranath Vakathanam

Mavelikkara - Ajimon

Adoor - Pandalam Prathapan

Chavara - K R Rajesh

Chadayamangalam - R S Arun Raj

Chirayinkeezhu - B S Anoop

Thiruvananthapuram - Karamana Jayan

Aruvikkara - Vivek Gopan

Kovalam- T N Suresh

Neyyatinkara - S Rajasekharan Nair