BJP core committee meet today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP core committee meeting will be held at Thrissur on Wednesday and will discuss seat sharing between BJP-BDJS alliance as well as grant of seats to P. C. Thomas of the Kerala Congress (Thomas) and Kerala Vikas Party. BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan and BJP national executive member P. K. Krishnadas have been camping in the national capital over the last few days.

Mr Rajasekharan told reporters in New Delhi that within a week the BJP's first round of candidature featuring senior leaders of the party would be finalised. BJP sources told DC that the central leadership had directed the State leadership to give as many seats to the NDA alliance as possible after the BJP was allocated their seats.

"Two senior leaders of the BJP would be entrusted to hold talks with the BDJS leadership to finalize the seat sharing. Contrary to BDJS president Tushar Vellapally's claim, the alliance will be formed," a BJP source said.

There are reports that the BJP has decided not to hold talks with KC (M) chairman K. M. Mani as he has reportedly informed the BJP leadership of having a tie-up post Assembly elections. This has not gone down well with the central as well as the State BJP leaderships.

Meanwhile, efforts are also on to rope in T. S. John, Kerala Congress (Secular) into the fold of P. C. Thomas. While Thomas is slated to contest against Mani at Pala, John is expected to be fielded in Tiruvalla. BJP leaders are also trying to bring KC (B) chairman R. Balakrishna Pillai into the NDA fold but the attempt has not been successful so far.