BJP releases 2nd list of 39 candidates for April 9 Kerala assembly polls

The second list includes former Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajasekharan and ex-Communist Party of India leader CC Mukundan

Published on: Mar 19, 2026, 13:45:18 IST

By HT Correspondent

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released its second list of 39 candidates for the Kerala assembly polls, three days after announcing 47 nominees. The second list includes former Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajasekharan and ex-Communist Party of India leader CC Mukundan, who joined the BJP this month.

The BJP is yet to field a Muslim candidate in Kerala, where Muslims account for nearly 26% of the population. (X)

Rajasekharan, a veteran leader, has been fielded from Aranmula, BJP spokesperson B Gopalakrishnan from Guruvayoor and ML Ashwini from Kasaragod. Former Congress leader MJ Job will contest from Alappuzha, and former Big Boss contestant Robin Radhakrishnan from Kundara.

The BJP is yet to field a Muslim candidate. Muslims account for nearly 26% of the state’s population.

Elections to Kerala’s 140-member assembly will be held in a single phase on April 9, and votes will be counted on May 4. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is hoping to make some inroads into the state even as the contest is mainly expected to be a contest between the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front .

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