Who is K Surendran, BJP's choice from Wayanad to fight Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha polls?

Kerala BJP president K Surendran to contest from Wayanad against Rahul Gandhi.

Updated on: Mar 25, 2024, 07:10:51 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Kerala BJP president K Surendran is set to contest from Wayanad, the constituency where incumbent MP and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is running again.

Kerala BJP president K Surendran fielded against Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad.

It is not yet clear if Congress will also field Rahul Gandhi from Uttar Pradesh's Amethi, where he lost in 2019.

ALSO READ- BJP's 5th candidates list for Lok Sabha election: Kangana Ranaut from Mandi, Arun Govil from Meerut

Who is K Surendran?

1. K Surendran is a prominent leader from north Kerala who became the BJP state president in 2020.

2. He contested the Lok Sabha elections from Pathanamthitta constituency in 2019 and secured the third position.

3. During the Sabarimala agitation in 2018, Surendran was arrested and spent over a month in jail.

4. In the 2021 Kerala assembly polls, he contested from two constituencies, Manjeswaram and Konni, but lost both contests.

5. Surendran and five others were accused of threatening and bribing K Sundara, a BSP candidate in the Manjeshwaram assembly election in 2021, to withdraw from the race.

With Sunday's announcement, the ruling party has completed the selection of 398 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This count excludes four candidates who withdrew their nominations amidst controversies. The BJP's nominee list now stands nearly complete for the 543-member assembly.

ALSO READ- BJP's Lok Sabha candidates list: Maneka Gandhi in, Varun dropped from Pilibhit

BJP's 5th candidates list for Lok Sabha election | Top points

• The ruling party has now finalised 398 nominees for the Lok Sabha elections, excluding four controversial withdrawals, out of the 543-member assembly.

• Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, known for her vocal support of the BJP, will contest from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, while veteran actor Arun Govil, renowned for his portrayal of Lord Ram in "Ramayan," will stand in Meerut.

• Sita Soren, sister-in-law of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, joins the BJP as a candidate from Dumka after leaving the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

• Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar, who briefly left the BJP for the Congress before returning, will contest from Belgaum.

• Ex-Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay will represent the BJP in Tamluk, West Bengal, while Dilip Ghosh moves from Medinipur to Bardhaman–Durgapur, replacing S S Ahluwalia.

ALSO READ- Congress drops Sunil Sharma's Jaipur candidature amid uproar, replaces with Pratap Singh Khachariyawas

• The BJP has also announced candidates from various states, including seven from Rajasthan, four each from Haryana, Karnataka, and Kerala, 18 from Odisha, and three each from Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

• In Andhra Pradesh, party president D Purandeswari will contest from Rajahmundry, and former CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy from Rajampet, as the BJP finalised its picks for all six Lok Sabha seats in the state.

• Additionally, BJP vice president Baijayant Panda will contest from Kendrapara, a constituency he has represented twice as a BJD member.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.