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Updated: Mar 22, 2019 23:19 IST

Desperate to open an account in Kerala there was a scramble in BJP for Pathanamthitta seat and the party leadership kept the suspense alive by not naming the candidate in the constituency where the hill temple Sabarimala is situated.

State leaders are upset over the delay because they think it is one of the seats where the BJP can make advances in the backdrop of the temple issue. Some BJP followers took to social media to warn “the party was going the Congress way where faction feud and infighting are a common sight.”

State president P S Sreedharan Pillai, general secretary K Surendran and minister of state for tourism K J Alphons were in the race. Alphons was later accommodated in Ernakulam and Pillai was reportedly persuaded to drop out of the race. Surendran who spent more than two weeks in jail for participating in the agitation against the Supreme Court verdict which allowed women of all ages to worship at the temple was the top contender.

Expecting good news Surendran had offered ‘darshan’ at the hilltop temple on Thursday, thereby completing his pilgrimage that was disrupted when he was arrested by police at Nilakkal base camp at the height of agitation.

Party insiders say the delay was deliberate to build up the on the constituency.

The RSS is also upset over the delay in finalizing Surendran’s candidature. Speculations are rife that there will be a surprise candidate in the in the last minute. Out of the 20 seats, BJP party is contesting in 14 and allies in six. BJP

parliamentary board secretary J P Nadda had named 13 candidates on Thursday, leaving Pathanamthitta.

Both CPI(M) and Congress had named their candidates.Congress re-nominated sitting MP Anto Antony and CPI(M) fielded legislator Veena Geroge, a former journalist. Since both belong to the Christian community the BJP thinks that if it fields a strong candidate it will help a consolidation of the majority community votes. Hindus form 55 per cent, Christians 30 and Muslim and others 15%.

The party is also in touch with the Nair Service Society, a socio-cultural organisation of upper caste Nair community, which took a consistent position in Sabarimala issue. NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair had said his organisation would back any party which will protect tradition and customs of the Sabarimala temple. Party sources said the NSS will have a say in selecting the candidate in Pathanamthitta.