Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP has prepared a probable list of candidates for 35 Assembly constituencies for the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly election. The list includes A-class constituencies. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar is set to contest from Nemom. R Sreelekha has been given first consideration for Vattiyoorkavu. V Muraleedharan is likely to contest from Kazhakoottam, while K Surendran is expected to be fielded from Manjeshwaram.

The probable list was finalised at a BJP election committee meeting held on Tuesday. It will be submitted to the central leadership shortly. Three names have been considered for each constituency. However, there will be no further changes in certain constituencies. Party general secretary S Suresh stated that he will not contest the election and will instead lead the party’s campaign.

At the election committee meeting, state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar reportedly said that capable candidates with strong winning prospects should be given the opportunity to contest. In Nemom, the BJP has two mandalam committees, and meetings of functionaries from both were held at the party’s state headquarters, Mararji Bhavan, on Tuesday. Rajeev Chandrasekhar is moving ahead with preparations to contest from Nemom.

Although K Surendran’s name had come up for Vattiyoorkavu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed him to focus on Manjeshwaram. Sobha Surendran is being considered for Palakkad, Kayamkulam and Haripad constituencies. There is a broad understanding to offer M T Ramesh either Thrissur or Kozhikode. C Krishnakumar will contest from Malampuzha.

Among the A-class constituencies, uncertainty persists in Vattiyoorkavu. The leadership’s first preference is BJP state vice-president R Sreelekha, who won from the Sasthamangalam ward in the local body elections. Currently a corporation councillor, Sreelekha had earlier indicated that she would not contest another election for the next five years.

However, the central leadership expects that she may reconsider if requested by the state leadership. In Thiruvananthapuram Central, the name of district president Karamana Jayan is under consideration. At the same time, actor Krishnakumar, who contested from the constituency last time, is also being considered.

Notably, former Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai does not figure in the current list of probable candidates.