Thiruvananthapuram, 23 Feb (H.S.):The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is reportedly finalising its strategy for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, with indications that Padmaja Venugopal will contest from Thrissur and Sobha Surendran from Palakkad.
According to party sources, the BJP’s national leadership has conveyed clear directions to both leaders regarding their constituencies. While there had been speculation that Padmaja Venugopal might take on senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan in Vattiyoorkavu, the party is now believed to have shifted its focus to Thrissur after internal assessments suggested stronger winning prospects there.
Thrissur holds symbolic and strategic importance for the BJP. It became the first Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala to elect a BJP MP, following actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi’s victory. The party reportedly believes that Padmaja can capitalise on the momentum generated by Suresh Gopi’s win. Sources indicate that Padmaja had conveyed to the central leadership that she would be willing to contest from Thrissur provided she had the full backing of Suresh Gopi. She is also said to have requested that he take charge of the campaign in the constituency. In turn, Suresh Gopi has reportedly assured the leadership of his complete attention and commitment to ensuring a strong campaign in Thrissur.
Meanwhile, Sobha Surendran’s name is said to have figured in the shortlist for six constituencies before Palakkad was identified as the most strategic option. Known for her combative electoral style, Sobha has previously contested in key BJP strongholds such as Nemom, Kazhakkoottam and Manjeswaram. Palakkad is considered one of the party’s ‘A-class’ constituencies, and with the United Democratic Front (UDF) not fielding Rahul Mankootathil this time, BJP leaders believe the political equations could tilt in their favour.
The BJP is expected to release its first list of candidates in the coming days. Campaign activities have already begun in several constituencies, including Nemom, where state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar is set to contest. Party insiders suggest that most senior leaders will enter the fray as the BJP seeks to expand its footprint in Kerala’s highly competitive political landscape.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
