BJP Kerala Candidate List 2026: BJP Releases 47-Candidate List for Kerala Legislative Assembly Election 2026

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its first list of 47 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Election 2026, bringing forward a mix of senior leaders, prominent political figures, and new entrants as it attempts to expand its presence in the state.

One of the most prominent names in the list is former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who will contest from the Nemom constituency. State BJP president K. Surendran has been fielded from Manjeshwar, a seat where he narrowly lost in the Kerala Legislative Assembly Election 2021 by just 855 votes to A. K. M. Ashraf of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Surendran had also contested the seat unsuccessfully in 2016 and 2011.

Among the notable candidates, former Mahila Morcha national president Sobha Surendran will contest from Palakkad. She previously fought from Kazhakkoottam in 2021 but lost to Kadakampally Surendran of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) by over 23,000 votes. The BJP has also nominated Navya Haridas from Kozhikode North and Padmaja Venugopal from Thrissur. Padmaja is the daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran.

Senior BJP leader and former Union minister V. Muraleedharan will contest from Kazhakoottam, while veteran politician P. C. George has been given the ticket from Poonjar. In total, seven women feature in the party's candidate list.

The announcement signals the BJP's effort to combine experienced leaders with fresh faces as it seeks to strengthen its electoral footprint in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the India Socialist Janata Dal (ISJD), a breakaway faction from the Janata Dal (Secular), has also announced candidates for three constituencies. Sitting MLA Mathew T. Thomas will contest from Thiruvalla, while Murugadas will run from Chittoor in Palakkad district. Sabu George has been nominated from Ernakulam.

ISJD leader K. Krishnankutty, who currently serves as Kerala's Electricity Minister, confirmed that he will not contest the upcoming polls. The party is expected to finalise its candidate for the Kovalam seat soon.

Polling for all 140 seats in the Kerala Assembly will be held in a single phase on April 9, with the results scheduled to be declared on May 4.