THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP national president J P Nadda, who arrived on Wednesday for a two-day visit to launch the NDA’s assembly election campaign, did not shy away from discussing the dissidence issue in the state unit and said the grievances of senior leader Sobha Surendran were being redressed. Addressing a press conference here, Nadda referred to Sobha’s complaints as normal in a party that functions as a family unlike other parties that work in a dictatorial fashion.
Sources said Nadda’s open assurance has paved the way for Sobha and other dissident leaders, who had kept away, to return and participate actively in the BJP’s election campaign. Sobha may take part in a crucial election-related meeting to be chaired by Nadda in Thrissur on Thursday, signalling a rapprochement with the state leadership.
Nadda openly acknowledging the dissidence issue also comes as a blow to the party’s official faction that had always tried to brush it under the carpet. BJP state president K Surendran had maintained there were no issues in the state unit even when factionalism was at its peak.Nadda’s admission that the party is resolving the dissidence issue internally endorses a TNIE report on January 31 which said Nadda had entrusted national general secretary Arun Singh to find a solution to the impasse.
“Nadda taking the lead role in resolving the issue means the party wants dissidence to completely end before the Kerala assembly elections. The onus is now on the state leadership to take all sections into confidence and work as a cohesive unit,” said a former state president, requesting anonymity.
Nadda gets rousing reception
Earlier, Nadda was accorded a rousing reception at the Thiruvananthapuram airport at 1pm. He took out a road show from the airport to the party’s state headquarters accompanied by hundreds of BJP workers on motorcycles.Nadda participated in a meeting of the state core committee and also addressed a meeting of the newly elected representatives of the party in various local bodies. He also offered prayers at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in the evening.
Besides meeting NDA leaders, Nadda also participated in a dinner meeting with ‘opinion makers’, representing various sectors.In Thrissur on Thursday, Nadda will chair a meeting of the state office-bearers and constituency in-charges. He is also slated to meet religious and community leaders. Nadda will also address a public meeting later in the day, kick-starting the party’s poll campaign in the state.