BJP considers former DGP Jacob Thomas for Thrissur assembly seat

Thrissur: The BJP is now considering former Kerala DGP Jacob Thomas as its candidate for the Thrissur constituency in the upcoming state assembly elections, moving away from earlier speculations around MT Ramesh and Padmaja Venugopal.

As part of the plan, Jacob Thomas has shifted his residence to Thrissur and rented a house at Ayyanthole SN Park.

The strategy mirrors the party’s approach in Lok Sabha elections, aiming to secure not just party votes but also maximum support from other voter segments. The BJP hopes Thomas, known for his anti-corruption stance, will attract broader public support. His candidature is also seen as a move to consolidate Christian votes, one of the key communities in Thrissur.

In the last assembly election, CPI candidate P. Balachandran won Thrissur by a narrow margin of 946 votes, while third-placed Suresh Gopi trailed by 3,806 votes. Former Congress leader Padmaja Venugopal, who came second in that election, is now with the BJP. Jacob Thomas had contested the 2021 assembly election from Irinjalakuda.

Earlier, MT Ramesh and Padmaja Venugopal had been considered for the seat. While Ramesh could have secured party votes, assessments indicated he had limited prospects of attracting additional support, leading him to step aside. Those within Congress had previously blamed Padmaja Venugopal’s candidature for the loss of the Thrissur seat. Both Ramesh and Padmaja reportedly declined to contest in Thrissur this time.