Lok Sabha elections: Amit Shah picks Suresh Gopi for Thrissur segment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP has named actor and Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi as its candidate in Thrissur parliament constituency.BJP national president Amit Shah announced Gopi’s candidature in New Delhi late on Tuesday.The Thrissur segment, which the BJP considers as a favourable seat after Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram, was earlier given to Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS).Though BDJS president Thushar Vellappally had started campaigning in Thrissur, AICC’s decision to field Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad—besides Amethi in UP—prompted the BJP to depute Thushar to take on the Congress president.Earlier, BDJS had named Paily Vathiattu as its candidate in Wayanad, where CPI’s P P Suneer is the LDF candidate.With Gopi entering the fray in Thrissur, BJP will be contesting in 15 seats, BDJS in four and Kerala Congress (P C Thomas) one.The Thrissur seat was earlier given to BDJS on condition that Thushar should contest.Thushar, meanwhile, started campaigning in Wayanad, and took out a roadshow on Tuesday.BJP leader and party’s Pathanamthitta candidate K Surendran was initially considered for the Thrissur seat. There were several other contenders for the seat, including BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai, general secretary M T Ramesh and spokesperson B Gopalakrishnan. Gopalakrishnan’s name was almost finalized for Alappuzha seat where the central leadership later fielded Public Service Commission (PSC) former chairman K S Radhakrishnan.Suresh Gopi initially lobbied for Thiruvananthapuram seat, which the central leadership had reserved for Kummanam Rajasekharan. Gopi opted out of the race from any other constituency, citing cinema-related commitments. Gopi’s candidature has come as a surprise to many in the state BJP.