BJP releases fourth list of candidates for Lok Sabha elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled its fourth list of candidates for the Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha polls, featuring 15 names, in a bid to bolster its presence in the state. The list, released on Friday, includes prominent figures set to contest from various constituencies.

Among the key candidates are Pon V Balaganapathy for Tiruvallur, RC Paul Kanagaraj for Chennai (North), A Ashwathaman for Tiruvannamalai, KP Ramalingam for Namakkal, AP Muruganandam for Tiruppur, K Vasantharajan for Pollachi, VV Senthilnathan for Karur, P Karthiyayini for Chidambaram (SC), SGM Ramesh for Nagapattinam, M Muruganandam for Thanjavur, Devanathan Yadav for Sivaganga, Raama Sreenivasan for Madurai, Raadhika Sarathkumar for Virudhunagar, B John Pandian for Tenkasi (SC), and A Namassivayam for Puducherry.

The BJP’s strategic candidate selection reflects a concerted effort to strengthen its electoral prospects in Tamil Nadu. The party had previously announced a list of nine Lok Sabha candidates for the state, featuring notable leaders like former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan and Annamalai from Coimbatore. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan is set to contest from Nilgiris.

In a bid to expand its base, the BJP has forged an alliance with the Paatali Makkal Katchi (PMK) in Tamil Nadu, following the exit of the AIADMK as its ally last year. The upcoming polls will witness a direct contest between the ruling DMK and the main opposition AIADMK in 19 Lok Sabha constituencies across the state, including prominent ones like Chennai North, Chennai South, Coimbatore, and Vellore, among others.

The stage is set for a high-stakes electoral battle in Tamil Nadu, with polling for the state’s 39 Lok Sabha seats scheduled for the first phase on April 19. The BJP, which failed to secure a single seat in Tamil Nadu during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, is eyeing a resurgence, while the DMK, with 23 seats in the previous election, is looking to maintain its stronghold. With the election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country set to unfold in seven phases starting April 19, the political landscape in Tamil Nadu is poised for a significant transformation.