LS Polls: 290 candidates filed nominations in Kerala, with highest in Thiruvananthapuram

As the last date for filing nomination papers ended on Thursday, 290 candidates submitted their nomination papers in various Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said.

As the last date for filing nomination papers ended on Thursday, 290 candidates have submitted their nomination papers in various Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala, according to a release from the Chief Electoral Office. "A total of 499 nomination papers have been received so far," the release said.

The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on Friday. The final list of candidates will be released after the last date for the withdrawal of nominations, i.e., April 8. Constituency-wise details of candidates who submitted nomination papers are-Thiruvananthapuram 22, Attingal-14, Kollam-15, Pathanamthitta-10, Mavelikkara-14, Alappuzha-14, Kottayam-17, Idukki- 12, Ernakulam-14, Chalakudy-13, Thrissur-15, Alathur-8, Palakkad-16, Ponnani-20, Malappuram-14, Kozhikode-15, Wayanad-12, Vadakara-14, Kannur-18 and Kasaragod-13.

The highest number of candidates who submitted nomination papers are in Thiruvananthapuram Constituency (22) and the lowest in Alathoor (8). The submission of nomination papers started on March 28th in the state. 252 nomination papers were received on Thursday, the last date of submission.

Notably, one of the most high-profile constituencies in this Lok Sabha election is Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Three-time MP from the constituency Shashi Tharoor of the Congress is up against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP and a strong left candidate in Pannyan Raveendran a former MP. Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency comprises six Assembly segments: Nemom, Kovalam, Neyyattinkara, Parassala, Vattiyoorkav, and Kazhakkoottam. Being the state with the highest literacy rate in the country, Kerala holds 20 Lok Sabha seats.

In 2019 general elections, Tharoor emerged victorious, gathering 416131 votes (41.4 per cent) of total votes, followed by BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan--416131 votes (31.4) and Communist Party of India's C. Divakaran--258556 votes (25.7). Similarly, in 2014, Shashi Tharoor emerged victorious, defeating BJP candidate O. Rajagopal.

The BJP has fielded Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar against Congress MP Tharoor. This is the first time that Chandrasekhar has been fielded for Lok Sabha polls. He also served as a national spokesperson for the BJP.

Kerala will hold elections in a single phase on April 26. There are 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala and the BJP has never won a parliamentary seat in the state. Earlier in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA won 353 seats, the UPA stood at 91, and Others won 98. (ANI)

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