Kottayam (Kerala) | The BJP in Kerala on Monday announced the party's Kottayam district president, G Lijinlal, as its candidate for the byelection to Puthuppally Assembly seat, which was represented by late Congress leader Oommen Chandy for over five decades.

Lijinlal's candidature was announced by the BJP's central election committee in New Delhi.

His candidature was recommended by the recently held core committee meeting of the BJP state unit at Aluva in Ernakulam.

The Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF have already declared their candidates for the seat.

While the UDF has fielded Chandy Oommen, son of Oommen Chandy, from the constituency, DYFI leader and district committee member of the ruling CPI(M), Jaick C Thomas, is the LDF candidate.

This is the third consecutive electoral fight for Thomas from the Puthuppally constituency.

The by-election to the seat was necessitated due to Oommen Chandy's demise on July 18 after battling cancer.

The byelection will be held on September 5 and the results will be announced on September 8.