BJP names its National Vice President AP Abdullakutty as candidate for Malappuram Lok Sabha bypoll

Malappuram, Mar 08: In a recent development, BJP on Monday named its National Vice President AP Abdullakutty as the candidate for by-poll to Malappuram Lok Sabha seat in Kerala.

On Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora had said that the Malappuram Lok Sabha by-poll will be conducted along with the Kerala Assembly polls in 140 constituencies in the state.

Earlier, AP Abdullakutty was sacked from Congress for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The BJP's landslide victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections is the affirmation of the people's faith in Modi's vision and policies," read the social media post that got him into trouble.

In 2009, Abdullakutty was suspended from CPI(M) for praising Narendra Modi who was then the chief minister of Gujarat. Later, he joined Congress and was elected to the Kerala Assembly in 2011.

The election for 140-member Kerala Assembly in 14 districts will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes will be held on May 2.