'Metroman' fielded from Palakkad; state chief K Surendran to try his luck from 2 constituencies
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 13: 'Metroman' E Sreedharan will make his electoral debut from Palakkad in the April 6 assembly polls, while BJP state president K Surendran will contest from two constituencies, including Konni, the epicentre of the Sabarimala stir in 2018.
The BJP, which willbe contesting in 115 of the 140 constituencies, released its candidates list for 112 seats in New Delhi on Sunday.
Twenty five seats have been given to its four NDA allies--BDJS (Bharath Dharma Jana Sena), AIADMK,Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS) and Kamaraj Congress, party general secretary Arun Singh told the mediain Delhi.
'Metroman' Sreedharan had joined the BJP recently.
Two film actors-- Suresh Gopi (Thrissur), who is a Rajya Sabha MP and Krishnakumar (Thiruvananthapuram central)are also in the fray.
Former Union minister K J Alphons will try his luck from Kanjirapallyand former DGP Jacob Thomas from Irinjalakuda.
Firebrand BJP leader Surendran,who had led the Sabarimala agitation in 2018 against entry ofwomen of all ages to the Lord Ayyappa temple following the Supreme Court verdict, has been fielded from Manjeshwaram in Kasaragod district and Konni in Pathanamthitta district.
He had unsuccessfully contested the 2016 assembly polls from Manjeshwaram and had lost by a meagre 89 votes.
Former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajashekharan has been fielded from Nemom, the lone seat won by the BJP in the 2016 assembly polls when former Union minister O Rajagopal was elected.
Senior leaders C K Padmanabhan will take on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Dharmadam in Kannur, while P K Krishnadas will battle it out at Kattakada in Thiruvananthapuram.
Well knownacademicianand retired Calicut University Vice Chancellor Dr Abdul Salam has been fielded from Tirur and Manikuttan, the first tribal engineer,will be in the fray from Mananthavady (reserved) seat.
The saffron party, which has fielded 12 women candidates, has not given a seat tosenior leader Shobha Surendran.
Rajashekharan, a former BJP state president, told reporters here that people in Kerala are yearning for a change from the alternate governments being formed over the years by the CPI(M) led LDF and Congress led UDF.
"Many known personalities are fighting on behalf of BJP in this election. The people are done with both the fronts.
The wind is blowing in favour of the NDA.
The list of candidates is a representation of those who have made their mark in society.
I am really confident about my candidature in the Nemom constituency," Rajashekharan told the media.
BJP state chief Surendran said the party lost Manjeshwaram constituency last time due to the 'adjustment politics' between the Congress and the BJP.
"We lost Manjeshwaram last time because of the adjustment politics between the Congress and the CPI(M). We will fight to get back that constituency.
Konni is dear to me due to the Sabarimala issue,"he said.
He evaded a direct reply when asked which constituency he would leave if elected from both seats, saying many leaders in the country have followed this format.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Murder accused jumps off train to escape police custody in Khandwa
Khandwa/MP (PTI): A man arrested in connection with the murder of a local journalist escaped from police custody by jumping off a train in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa while being taken to Uttar Pradesh on a transit remand, police said on Saturday.
The absconding accused, Jamiruddin Qureshi, is one of the five persons booked for their alleged involvement in the murder of a journalist in Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh on May 13, said assistant sub-inspector Anni Lal of Khandwa Government Railway Police (GRP).
Following the murder, Qureshi fled to Mumbai, and the crime branch of the Thane police apprehended him, he said.
Two UP police personnel were bringing him to Jaunpur on transit remand on May 15 and were travelling on the Gorakhpur Weekly Express, the official said.
The train reached Khandwa station around 2.40 am on May 16, and when the train started leaving the platform, the accused sought permission to go to the toilet, he said.
As the two policemen started taking him to the toilet at the entrance of the coach, the accused jumped off the train, the official said.
The police have lodged a complaint, and a search has been launched for the accused, he said.
