Rajeev Chandrashekhar misses victory in close race for toughest seat with short campaign; check details
By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Jun 12, 2024, 5:36 PM ISTChandrashekhar, who was serving as Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, lost the Thiruvananthapuram seat in Kerala to Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor by a margin of 16,077 votes.
In the recent elections, former Union minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar's performance stood out among all the ministers, despite facing formidable challenges. Rajeev contested in a new constituency with only 35 days to campaign, making his close race particularly noteworthy.
The BJP pinned its hopes on Rajeev Chandrashekhar, a native of Thrissur, Kerala, to influence the electoral dynamics of Thiruvananthapuram and bolster its footing in the southern region. Consequently, Chandrashekhar was nominated as the BJP candidate for the Thiruvananthapuram constituency as part of this strategic move.
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Chandrashekhar, who was serving as Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, lost the Thiruvananthapuram seat in Kerala to Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor.
It can be seen that the Thiruvananthapuram constituency emerged as a battleground for both the Congress and BJP, setting the stage for a fiercely contested election. Rajeev Chandrashekhar entered the fray as the BJP's nominee, aiming to challenge the stronghold of sitting MP Shashi Tharoor, who has held the constituency since 2009 and wields significant personal influence there.
The electoral competition boiled down to a head-to-head clash between the Congress and BJP, with candidates from both parties deploying robust campaign strategies and employing various election tactics.
The electoral contest remained tight throughout the vote counting process, with the lead positions fluctuating intermittently. Ultimately, the Congress clinched victory, securing its hold on the Thiruvananthapuram seat. However, for the BJP and its candidate Rajeev Chandrashekhar, it was a closely fought battle that ended in defeat.
Among the 20 ministers from the Modi 2.0 cabinet who failed to secure re-election in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rajeev Chandrashekhar suffered the narrowest margin of defeat, losing to Congress's Shashi Tharoor by 16,077 votes in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram constituency.
In the previous elections, Shashi Tharoor had secured significant victories, with his margins of victory fluctuating over the years. Despite facing formidable competition from Rajeev Chandrashekhar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Tharoor managed to maintain his lead, securing a victory by a narrow margin.
Unlike other parties, the BJP traditionally announces its list of candidates early, providing ample time for campaigning and candidate introduction. However, Rajeev Chandrashekhar had only 35 days to campaign against Shashi Tharoor, a well-established figure in the constituency, adding to the challenges faced by the BJP candidate.
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