Suspense over BJP's Pathanamthitta candidate in Kerala continues

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The suspense over BJP's candidate in Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency, where the Sabarimala shrine is located, is continuing as the seat was left out in the party's first list of nominees.
The BJP on Thursday night announced its first list of 184 candidates, including 13 from Kerala, leaving out only the Pathanamthitta constituency.
BJP, which is seeking to open its account in Lok Sabha from Kerala in the April 23 polls, is contesting 14 of the 20 seats in the state, leaving five to its allies — BDJS (Bharat Dharma Jana Sena) and one to Kerala Congress led by P C Thomas
The party, which had spearheaded the agitation over the CPM-led LDF government's decision to implement the Supreme Court's verdict allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa late last year, is pinning hopes on Pathanamithitta constituency.
BJP state President P S Sreedharan Pillai, state general secretaries K Surendran and M T Ramesh and Union minister Alphons Kannanthanam were all keen on the Pathanamthitta seat.
However, Kannanthanam has been fielded in Ernakulam.
The dice seems to be loaded in favour of Surendran, who was in the forefront of the recent agitation over entry of women in menstrual age into Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala and had been incarcerated for nearly a month over the protest.
Amid anticipation that the candidate for Pathanamthitta would be announced, Surendran had offered prayers at the Ayyappa temple on Thursday on the last day of the monthly pooja.
But the omission of the constituency from the first list has heightened the suspense.
Former Mizoram governor and senior BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan, who is contesting from Thiruvananthapuram, rejected said there was no confusion in the party over Pathanamthitta seat.
"There are certain procedures to be completed before formally announcing the candidate. The list has been prepared giving importance to everyone," he said.
"All political parties prepare the list only in phases. So in a day or two the name would be announced", Rajashekaran, a former state chief, told reporters as he embarked on his campaign trail on Friday morning.
Certain procedures had to be completed and there was no dispute, he said, adding, all discussions have been completed and local leaders have returned to the state.
There is no difference of opinion either, he added.
"The BJP is contesting in all states and it releases the names only in the phases. Kerala polls are only in the third phase," he said.