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METRO MAN E Sreedharan would be the BJP’s chief minister candidate for the assembly elections slated for next month, the party’s Kerala unit chief K Surendran said on Thursday. Sreedharan, 88, joined the BJP last week.
Surendran, who made the announcement during his state-wide political tour Vijay Yatra, also highlighted the achievements of Sreedharan, including the completion of the reconstruction of Palarivattom flyover in Kochi in five months, much ahead of the stipulated time. He also said the BJP’s list of candidates will be released soon. “The party would soon bring out the list of other candidates also,” he said.
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Two weeks ago, after announcing his decision to join the BJP, Sreedharan, who has been hailed for his role in setting up Delhi Metro as a showpiece public transport model, had indicated that he was ready to contest the assembly elections.
On Thursday, Sreedharan said he has not chosen the constituency yet. “I am ready to contest in any seat and victory is sure for me. I strongly believe that the BJP would come to power. However, I want to contest from a constituency, which is not far away from Ponnani in Malappuram, where I am residing now,’’ he said.
Sreedharan, who has been the mentor of Kochi Metro project, said he would not go for conventional door-to-door campaigning. “I won’t go to houses and shops soliciting votes. But, my message would reach the voters,” he said in Kochi.
On Thursday, curtain came down on his 24-year-long career with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation as he wore the DMRC’s outdoor uniform one last time. “This will be the last day I will be wearing this uniform,” Sreedharan said, announcing the completion of re-construction of the Palarivattom flyover under his supervision.
He visited the flyover in the morning for an inspection before handing it over to the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of the Kerala government for inauguration. He said the flyover, whose reconstruction was taken up in September last year, was ready and the state government can decide the date of its inauguration.
“I wore the DMRC’s typical outdoor uniform for the first time in November 1997 in Delhi. Same practice I continued for the last 24 years,” Sreedharan said.
He said he will file the nomination papers after resigning from the post of DMRC’s Principal Adviser.
Sreedharan said he will showcase his professional competency and integrity among the voters to win their support. He said his age has not affected his health. “I will still be working like a technocrat,” he said in response to a query on his age.
With PTI inputs
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