THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state vice-president Sobha Surendran has expressed her displeasure at not being included in the core committee, the party’s highest decision-making body in the state.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Sunday, the firebrand leader indicated that she was pained as an individual at being kept out of the apex body, but added that she continued to remain a member of the “people’s core committee”.
“It is the people’s core committee that decides which person deserves which post,” Sobha said in an indirect jibe at the state leadership which reportedly scuttled her inclusion in the core committee. Recently, the party’s national leadership had asked the state unit to broaden the core committee and include more leaders including actor and former Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi. Along with Sobha, another state vice president K S Radhakrishnan too was tipped to be included in the party’s top forum. But the state leadership was of the view that Sobha could be given “other responsibilities”.
Meanwhile, Sobha met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan who is also in Delhi. The meeting which lasted around 20 minutes assumes significance in the wake of criticism that the BJP state unit was not rallying strongly behind Khan against whom the ruling CPM is planning fierce street protests.
Sobha also discussed with the National Women’s Commission and Union Minister Smriti Irani the recent “revelations” of gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh against three senior CPM leaders. Sobha told the Commission and Irani that the state government was not taking any action in the wake of Swapna’s allegation that the leaders had sought sexual favours from her, a charge vehemently denied by them. “The CPM’s plan, to unleash violent street protests against the governor, is aimed at diverting attention from Swapna’s revelations,” Sobha said.