The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be gearing up for a showdown in Thiruvanthapuram in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, pitting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman against three-time Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. Tharoor has been representing the constituency consecutively since 2009 and is a well-known name in the area.
The Thiruvananthapuram seat is the only one in Kerala where the BJP was the runner-up in 2019, with the party finishing third in the remaining 19 seats. Sitharaman’s name has been circulating as a potential candidate for the seat for several years, with her visit to the coastal hamlets in the state capital city in
2017 furthering speculation. Her ability to speak Malayalam and origins in nearby Madurai give her a potential advantage.
The BJP leadership has identified several seats where they feel they have a chance, but Thiruvananthapuram is perhaps the only one where they believe they can win. However, to do so, they need to field a national-level candidate, as there is no such figure of stature currently in the Kerala unit of the party.
Considering that the naming of candidates will take some time, the BJP state leadership is already out on the campaign trail, according to State President K. Surendran.
The battle for Thiruvananthapuram could be a high-profile one, with Sitharaman and Tharoor being national-level figures. The BJP has hinted through its top leadership that its Rajya Sabha leaders should prepare to contest the Lok Sabha polls next year, which has added to speculation.
This potential contest highlights the BJP’s intention to build on their gains in Kerala in the next general elections. It may also give the party an opportunity to win its first Lok Sabha seat from the state.
Tharoor has yet to respond to the rumours, but if the battle in Thiruvananthapuram materializes, it is sure to be a closely contested and noteworthy electoral face-off.
