In a surprising turn of events, Abdul Salam emerges as the standout BJP candidate in the Lok Sabha race against Tharoor, as the party aims to make its mark in Kerala.
In a surprising move by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Abdul Salam, former Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University, emerges as the sole Muslim candidate in the party’s first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Hailing from Tirur, Kerala, Salam brings with him a wealth of knowledge in Biological Sciences, evident through his extensive research papers and authored books.
Having joined the BJP in 2019, Salam made his electoral debut by contesting from the Nemom constituency in the 2021 Kerala assembly elections. The BJP’s decision to include Salam in its candidate list reflects a commitment to diversity in candidate selection, with a total of 12 candidates being named for the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala.
Interestingly, the absence of BJP Kerala State Unit Chief K Surendran from the list indicates that he is unlikely to contest in the upcoming elections. Instead, the BJP has fielded Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from Thiruvananthapuram, setting the stage for a faceoff against Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.
Chandrasekhar, currently a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, will be contesting his first Lok Sabha election. The BJP’s strategic focus on southern states, where its electoral performance was subdued in 2019, is underscored by the nomination of candidates like Chandrasekhar and Salam.
Acknowledging the popularity of Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram, veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal anticipates a challenging contest for Chandrasekhar. The BJP’s ambitious target of winning 370 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls underscores the significance of its efforts to strengthen its presence in southern states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visits to Tamil Nadu and Kerala are seen as part of the BJP’s larger strategy to consolidate support in these regions. With Kerala accounting for 20 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP failing to secure any in the state in 2019, the party’s inclusion of 12 candidates from Kerala in its initial list reflects a concerted effort to make significant inroads in the state.
