Kerala Assembly Elections: BDJS to contest in 37 seats

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Bharat Dharma Jana Sena will contest in 37  seats in the Assembly elections under the NDA banner. This was decided after the third round of  talks between the BJP and the BDJS here. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan told reporters that the NDA’s remaining list of candidates  would be announced before March 26.

The seats allotted to BDJS are   Kovalam, Varkala and Vamanapuram (Thiruvananthapuram), Eravipuram, Kollam, Karunagapally and Kunnathur (Kollam),  Kayamkulam, Kuttanad, Cherthala and Aroor (Alappuzha), Ranni and Tiruvalla (Pathanamthitta), Ettumannur, Vaikkom and Poonjar  (Kottyam),  Thodupuzha, Idukki and Udumpanchola (Idukki), Vypin, Kalamassery, Paravor, Kunnathunad and Kothamangalam  (Ernakulam),  Kodungalloor, Kaippamangalam, Nattika, Chalakudy and Ollur (Thrissur),  Shornur and Manarcaud  (Palakkad), Nilambur (Malappuram), Kozhikode south, Thiruvampady and Perambra (Kozhikode), Peravoor (Kannur)  and Kanhangad (Kasargod).

The meeting also decided to hold a convention of NDA  in Thrissur or Ernakulam. Further talks are expected to be held with Kerala Congress (secular), Kerala Congress (P. C. Thomas), JSS (Rajan Babu), Kerala Vikas Congress and Lok Janasakti Party.  The BJP’s election committee meeting on Wednesday will decide  its second list of  candidates.

BJP election committee chairman and former BJP president V. Muraleedharan, general secretary M. T. Ramesh,  national executive member and former party president P. K. Krishnadas, organizational general secretary K. R. Umakanthan, BDJS president Tushar Vellapally, vice-president Akeeraman Kalidasan Bhattathiripad, secretaries Subhash Vasu and T. V. Babu attended the  talks.