New Delhi:

Kerala will enter a high-stakes contest with the BJP, which will field Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from Thiruvananthapuram, a constituency contested by the Congress Senior leader Shashi Tharoor served for three consecutive terms. Just days before the Lok Sabha elections, the two leaders said they welcomed a debate on issues related to the constituencies.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar recently said he was ready to debate Mr Tharoor over development in the region.

Tharoor immediately accepted the challenge, saying the constituency voters knew who was avoiding the debate.

“Yes, I welcome debate. But the people of Trivandrum know who has been avoiding debate so far. Let us discuss politics and development,” Shashi Tharoor posted on X (formerly Twitter) the post read.

“Let us discuss the issues of price rise, unemployment, corruption, communalism and the BJP’s decade-long propaganda of hate politics. Let us also discuss the developments in Thiruvananthapuram and the clear progress we have made in the last 15 years,” he added.

Yes, I welcome debate. But people in Thiruvananthapuram know who has been avoiding the debate so far.

Let’s discuss politics and development.

Let’s discuss rising prices, unemployment, corruption, communalism and the BJP’s ten-year campaign of hate politics… pic.twitter.com/cJTHX5DC7G

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 7, 2024

Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency has been witnessing a high-pressure poll campaign as both parties see it as a popularity battle. This will be the first Lok Sabha contest for Mr. Chandrasekhar, who is the Minister of State for Information Technology and Skills Development and is currently a member of the Lok Sabha.

The selection of Union ministers from the Thiruvananthapuram seat signals the BJP’s focus on southern states, where the party failed to make significant inroads in 2019, winning only 29 out of 129 seats (including Puducherry in 130 seats within). Most of the 25-year-olds are from Karnataka and the rest are from Telangana. Both states are now ruled by the Congress.

Kerala is scheduled to go to polls on April 26 to elect 20 Lok Sabha members. Results will be announced on June 4.