Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Kerala constituency profile: High expectations for Congress, Left, BJP in Thrissur

In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Thrissur constituency in Kerala becomes a key battleground. The Congress witnesses a surprise twist as K Muraleedharan shifts from Vadakara and BJP's Suresh Gopi seeks vote again while the Left Front backs VS Sunil Kumar, a prominent CPI leader and former Agriculture Minister.

Aishwarya Nair

First Published Mar 22, 2024, 5:39 PM IST

Thrissur is a focal point for Kerala's Lok Sabha elections in 2024, with recent developments adding intensity to the electoral battle. The last-minute twist in the announcement of the Congress candidate has heightened anticipation in the constituency. Thrissur, known for its significance in the 2019 general elections, remains a notable battleground once again.

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In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Thrissur constituency witnessed a heated contest between TN Prathapan of the Congress, Rajaji Mathew Thomas of the CPI, and Suresh Gopi of the BJP. Despite Suresh Gopi's strong campaign, TN Prathapan secured a significant victory with a massive margin of 93,633 votes. Prathapan garnered 415,089 votes out of the 1,042,122 total votes cast in Thrissur. Rajaji Mathew Thomas received 321,456 votes, while Suresh Gopi obtained 293,822 votes. The voter turnout in Thrissur in 2019 stood at 77.94%.

The Congress regained the Thrissur seat, which was previously held by CPI's CN Jayadevan in 2014, with the victory of TN Prathapan. Before that, in 2009, PC Chacko of the Congress emerged victorious in the Thrissur constituency.

In a surprising turn of events for the 2024 elections, the Congress workers in Thrissur had already begun campaigning for the sitting MP TN Prathapan. However, the situation took a twist when K Muraleedharan, the current Vadakara MP who was initially rumored to be the candidate, emerged as a surprise candidate for Thrissur. This unexpected shift followed the entry of Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of former Chief Minister K Karunakaran and sister of K Muraleedharan, into the BJP. Despite these developments, Muraleedharan and Prathapan are jointly campaigning in Thrissur.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate Suresh Gopi is once again vying for a seat from Thrissur, aiming to bolster the party's presence in Kerala. Thrissur stands out as one of the promising constituencies for the BJP in Kerala. In contrast, the Left Front has solidified its position by nominating VS Sunil Kumar, a prominent figure of the CPI in Thrissur district. Sunil Kumar previously served as the Minister of Agriculture in the first Pinarayi government.

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Last Updated Mar 22, 2024, 5:39 PM IST