Amid local body poll fever, Kerala BJP chief confirms Assembly bid; discloses seat he’s chosen

Thrissur: Kerala BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday announced that he will contest the 2026 Kerala Assembly Elections from Nemom. The declaration came during the Vote Vibe event organised by the Thrissur Press Club, offering an early signal of the party’s electoral direction.

While responding to a question on whether he would enter the Assembly race, Chandrasekhar said he would contest and added that he was ready to reveal the constituency if required. He then announced that Nemom would be his seat.

His declaration comes even before the BJP has begun official candidate discussions for the 2026 election. It also coincides with the state nearing the local body election voting date, a crucial phase often seen as a semi-final before the Assembly polls that determine who will form the government.

Why Nemom is significant for the BJP

Nemom is a symbolic constituency for the BJP in Kerala. In 2016, O Rajagopal became the party’s first-ever MLA in the state by winning from Nemom.

However, in 2021, V Sivankutty defeated BJP candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan to regain the seat for the Left.

During the recent Lok Sabha election, Chandrasekhar had contested against Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram and had led in Nemom, though Tharoor won the overall contest.

When asked whether Congress MP Shashi Tharoor would join the BJP, Chandrasekhar said he had no such expectation.