Seat-sharing talks remain inconclusive within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) demanding around 40 seats against the 21 it contested in 2021, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led front hopes to emerge as a strong third alternative in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The BJP contested 115 seats in 2021 without success in any, though it finished second in nine constituencies.
Recent NDA discussions were held in Delhi and more are expected soon, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kerala on March 11. For the BJP, it is a balancing act aimed at expanding the alliance and broadening the NDA’s social base, sources said.
A calculated gamble
Some leaders said the party would have to give up certain strongholds to accommodate coalition allies and party-backed Independents. Rather than stubbornly adopting a big brother stance, the party tends to take more calculated gambles to remain competitive in most triangular contests, they argued.
Local voters should now be convinced that the central leadership’s top priority is to win as many constituencies as possible in the hope of forcing a suspended assembly.
The BDJS, consisting mainly of members of the Ezhava community, refuses to go back on its demand for more seats in the contest. Sources in BDJS suggest that party president Thenhar Vellappally is considering entering the fray from Kuttanad or Kayamkulam in Alappuzha, after the BJP Central leadership expressed interest in involving prominent NDA leaders in the assembly polls. When contacted, Mr. Vellappally told The Hindu that no decision has yet been taken regarding the seat-sharing arrangement or his candidature.
Another factor pushing seat-sharing talks is the recent inclusion of Twenty20, which enjoys a strong presence in certain parts of Ernakulam district, in the NDA. He is reportedly seeking more than half a dozen seats and his allocation would reduce the number of constituencies the BJP is contesting in central Kerala. While Twenty20 chief Sabu M. Jacob has rejected the idea of a contest, the BJP central leadership may insist on his presence in the election fray.
Winning matters
However, BJP leaders say the seat allocation will ultimately be driven by electoral pragmatism. “When the seats are divided among the parties, the primary consideration will be winnability. With new allies coming in, it is natural that the number of seats contested by the BJP may go down. What matters in the end is not how many seats the BJP contests, but how many seats it wins,” said a BJP state office official and a key member who led the party’s victory in the Thiruvananthapuram city elections.
BJP general secretary MT Ramesh said the seat-sharing discussions would be finalized this week. “Talks are continuing but have not yet reached the final stage. All issues will be resolved by consensus,” he said.
However, in a state where alliances and arithmetic and social coalitions often play a decisive role in shaping electoral outcomes, how the BJP resolves these complex challenges will be critical to the NDA’s prospects in Kerala.
Published – 10 March 2026 19:40 IST
