CPIM candidate from Varkala Smita Sundaresan joins BJP

Updated: 22-03-2026, 06.10 PM

The ruling LDF alliance has suffered a major setback amid the Kerala Assembly elections 2026. CPIM leader Smita Sundaresan has changed sides and joined BJP. The party had given him ticket from Varkala seat. Varkala Area Committee member and Block Panchayat member Advocate Smita Sundaresan was inducted into the party by Kerala BJP President Rajiv Chandrashekhar and Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar.

After joining BJP, Smita was declared NDA candidate from Varkala. The alliance party BDJS gave the Varkala seat to BJP. Earlier this seat was given to BDJS in NDA alliance. Smita has an important influence in Varkala. She is considered a contender to win the elections. Smita Sundaresan was also the former President of Varkala Block Panchayat. Smita is the daughter of well-known CPM leader Kallambalam Sundaresan.

BJP announced 98 candidates

BJP has so far announced 98 candidates for the elections to be held on April 9. Jayan will face actor Sudhir Karamana, who is contesting as an independent candidate with the support of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), and Communist Marxist Party (CMP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) leader CP John. Sitting MLA Antony Raju of LDF ally Janadhepa Kerala Congress (JKC) was disqualified after he was convicted and sentenced by a magistrate court in an evidence tampering case. Another important name in the BJP list is businessman S Rajasekharan Nair, who will contest from Neyyattinkara. He also contested the 2021 assembly elections from the same constituency and finished third behind CPI(M) leader K Ansalan and Congress leader R Selvaraj. This time he will face sitting MLA Ansalan and Congress candidate N Saktan.

Last date for nomination is 23 March

The BJP has also fielded B S Anoop from Chirayinkeezhu constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes and R S Arun Raj from Chadayamangalam, who joined the party after being denied tickets by the Congress. TN Suresh, who joined BJP after leaving RJD, will contest elections from Kovalam. Actor Vivek Gopan will contest from Aruvikkara. He contested the 2021 elections from Chavara in Kollam district. Ravindranath will contest from Vakathanam Puthuppally, a Congress stronghold where sitting MLA Chandy Oommen, son of former chief minister Oommen Chandy, is also in the fray. The BJP has fielded V Ratheesh in Peerumade, Ajimon in SC-reserved Mavelikkara, Pandalam Prathapan in SC-reserved Adoor and KR Rajesh in Chavara. Other NDA allies, including Twenty20 and BDJS, have also recently announced their candidates. Prominent leaders of BJP have started filing nominations. The last date for filing nomination is 23 March.