Bharatiya Janata Party State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced that he will contest the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections from Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram.
He made the declaration during the ‘Vote Vibe- 2025’ programme organised by the Thrissur Press Club on Tuesday.
“I will contest 100 %. If needed, I can even tell you the constituency,” he said, adding that it would be Nemom.
His announcement comes even before candidate discussions have officially begun within the party. Responding to a query on whether Congress MP Shashi Tharoor would join the BJP, Mr. Chandrasekhar said he had no such expectations.
Mr. Chandrasekhar had contested against Mr. Tharoor in the Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram, securing a significant lead in the Nemom segment. Nemom holds special significance for the BJP — it was from here that the party won its first-ever MLA seat in the State when O. Rajagopal emerged victorious in 2016.
In 2021, Kummanam Rajasekharan lost the seat. It is at present represented by Minister V. Sivankutty.
Criticising the performance of local bodies, Mr. Chandrasekhar said governance in the State had been stagnant for 20–25 years. “There is no forward-looking plan, including in Thrissur. Unplanned expenditure in the local bodies stands at 30–40%. There is no road map to address issues affecting people,” he said.
He added that if elected, a BJP-led administration would bring a change in governance style. “We will implement digital governance and deliver all services at people’s doorsteps. Inclusive government, transparent governance, and governance at the doorstep are our objectives,” he said.
Mr. Chandrasekhar added that all Central government projects would be fully implemented in Kerala’s local bodies under the BJP rule.
“Our politics is not about controversy; it is about development,” he reiterated.
Published – December 02, 2025 08:04 pm IST
