THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state general secretary Shobha Surendran has been named co-convenor of the party’s national membership campaign committee, a move which signals her entry into the big league of party politics.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan leads the five-member committee. BJP national president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said BJP was working towards increasing its membership to 15 crore from the present 11 crore. BJP national general secretary (Organisation) Ramlal and Shah had chalked out strategies in this regard.
The new role may prove advantageous to Shobha as she would be able to connect with senior and future BJP leaders across the country while handling the affairs of the committee, a pet programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah.
A close association with Chouhan would also do her good in the long run. Sources in BJP indicated the party’s national leadership, including Ramlal, was keenly watching Shobha’s work.
Poll experience
In all, Shobha has contested seven assembly and Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket and has been able to double the party’s tally.
In this year’s Lok Sabha elections, she secured 2.48 lakh votes in comparison to 90,528 votes secured by BJP candidate Girija Kumari in the 2014 elections. Shobha is now the third BJP leader from the state to get a national-level role, along with V Muraleedharan and P K Krishnadas.