Kalpetta: Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) leader Thushar Vellappally will be the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat which has shot into limelight nationally as Congress president Rahul Gandhi has decided to enter the fray from here.
BJP chief Amit Shah made the announcement in this regard today.
BDJS, an ally of the BJP-led NDA, had left out two seats while announcing the list of candidates earlier.
There were earlier speculations that Thushar might contest from Thrissur. He had earlier expressed confidence that he would win from Thrissur if he decides to enter the fray from that seat. However, all plans in this regard went for a toss as Rahul Gandhi's name popped up for Wayanad.
As Rahul mulled entering the poll scene in Kerala, Thushar had said that his party is willing to give the Wayanad seat to BJP if the Congress chief decides to contest from there. Wayanad district committee of BJP, the leading party in the NDA, had earlier requested its state leadership to field a candidate of national stature to take on the Congress president.
Earlier, Thushar had stated that his party is not willing to cede the Wayanad seat to BJP, which is the leading party in the NDA camp. It had even announced Paily Vathiattu as its candidate a few days ago.
The BJP will contest in 14 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The BDJS will contest in five seats and the P C Thomas-led Kerala Congress will contest the Kottayam seat.
The BDJS seats, as decided earlier, are Wayanad, Alathur, Idukki, Thrissur and Mavelikkara constituencies. The party is also fielding Biju Krishnan (Idukki), Thazhava Sahadevan (Mavelikkara) and T V Babu (Alathur).
When discussions of Thushar's candidature began, SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan had said that Thushar needed to resign from the posts he was holding in the community organisation if he wants to stand for election. Natesan is Thushar's father.
Rahul's candidature from Wayanad was confirmed by Congress Working Committee member A K Antony on Sunday. The party chief will contest from the Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh too.
The LDF has decided to field CPIs P P Suneer in the constituency.
Read more: Election calendar
