Kollam: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has decided to intervene to settle candidate-related disputes within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming local body elections in Kerala.

According to party sources, an RSS representative will be present in meetings convened to finalise BJP candidates. From the ward level upwards, designated RSS coordinators will participate in these discussions alongside BJP leaders. In constituencies where differences persist, local committees have been instructed to prepare a shortlist of five candidates and forward it to the district leadership for final decision-making.

The RSS is set to play an active role across all levels of the local body polls, from wards to corporations, though it will stay away from managing campaign funds or participating in public speeches. Instead, the organisation has directed its members to engage actively in house-to-house outreach programmes.

Ward-level coordinators will be RSS functionaries with mandal responsibilities, while those with taluk and state-level responsibilities will oversee panchayat, municipality, and corporation-level coordination, respectively.

Several municipalities and corporations, including BJP-ruled Pandalam and Palakkad, as well as Thiruvananthapuram, where the party has a strong presence, are reportedly witnessing internal disputes over candidate selection. Against this backdrop, the RSS move is aimed at ensuring smoother coordination and candidate finalisation.

In the BJP’s ward meetings for finalising candidate lists, the panchayat in charge and the area president typically represent the party. Going forward, an RSS coordinator will also join these discussions.