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BJP's Strong Kerala Candidate List Signals Serious Bid for Change

The BJP has released its second list of 39 candidates for the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, signaling a serious push to challenge the incumbent LDF government. Key contests include K Ranjith challenging Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Dharmadam and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan contesting from Aranmula. The party's first list had already fielded state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan. The elections, scheduled for April 9, 2026, will see a three-cornered fight between the LDF, Congress-led UDF, and the BJP-led NDA for control of the 140-member assembly.

Key Points: Kerala BJP's Candidate List for 2026 Assembly Elections

  • BJP's second list has 39 candidates
  • K Ranjith to challenge CM Pinarayi Vijayan
  • Former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan fielded
  • Elections set for April 9, 2026
2 min read

"Determined to give people change": Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar

BJP releases second candidate list for Kerala polls, fielding candidates against CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Key contests and strategies revealed.

"We are determined to give the people of Keralam a change. - Rajeev Chandrasekhar"

Thiruvananthapuram, March 19

As the BJP released its second list of candidates for the Kerala Assembly election, state BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar hailed it as a strong and competitive list of candidates which reflects the party's seriousness to give the people a change.

"We have an extremely strong and competitive list of candidates announced in the list. In my opinion, this tells the people of Keralam that we are very serious about the election and we are determined to give the people of Keralam a change," he said.

BJP released the second list of 39 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala, fielding K Ranjith against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for Dharmadam constituency.

Former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan has been fielded from Aranmula. BJP has fielded Ashwini ML from Kasaragod, PR Sivasankar from Ernakulam, Vathsala Prasanna Kumar from Paravur, and Renu Suresh from Kongad.

BJP had released its first list of 47 candidates on March 19, fielding the party's state President Rajeev Chandrasekhar from Nemom seat and former Union Minister of State for External Affairs of India, V Muraleedharan, from Kazhakoottam seat.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan filed his nomination from the Dharmadam assembly constituency today.

Earlier, Congres has announced its list of 55 candidates. The party fielded Kerala Congress Committee President Sunny Joseph from the Peravoor seat. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan has been fielded from the Paravur seat.

The 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, the Election Commission of India announced on March 15, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4. The tenure of the current assembly is scheduled to end on May 23.

Both the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UDF seek to unseat the incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led LDF and gain control of the 140-member assembly. The LDF-led government has governed the state for around a decade.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
As a Keralite, I welcome any party that talks about "change." But the proof will be in their actual work for the people, not just in candidate lists. We need solutions for youth unemployment and better infrastructure, not just political rhetoric.
K
Karthik V
Fielding K Ranjith directly against CM Vijayan in Dharmadam is a bold move! Shows they are not afraid to take on the giants. This election is going to be very interesting to watch. 🍿
A
Anjali F
Respectfully, I have my doubts. BJP's presence in Kerala has always been limited. While a strong opposition is healthy, simply announcing a "strong list" doesn't automatically translate to understanding Kerala's unique socio-political fabric. The change must be meaningful.
R
Rahul R
Good to see Kummanam Rajasekharan back in the fray from Aranmula. He is a seasoned leader. The three-way contest between LDF, UDF, and NDA will hopefully keep all parties on their toes and working for the voter.
M
Meera T
The focus should be on development and governance, not just on "unseating" someone. I hope all parties, including BJP, come with concrete plans for healthcare, education, and women's safety. That's the change we truly need.

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