THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ending all uncertainties, the BJP central leadership has started the process of electing a new state president for its Kerala unit by issuing a circular. As per the circular, central election officer Pralhad Joshi will receive the nomination for the post on Sunday.
The state leaders are clueless about who will be the next president. However, party sources said that, in all likelihood the national leadership might choose a fresh face to lead the party for the next local body and assembly elections which are crucial. Former police chief Jacob Thomas is being considered as a favourite for the post.
“If the national leadership goes by its earlier decision, the party will have its first-ever Christian president. He has a 60:40 chance. But this is BJP. No one knows what will happen next? There are also chances that the national leadership will go for a more experienced leader,” a senior BJP leader told TNIE.
As per the election process, the national leadership would ask the leader whom it finds suitable to be the next president to file the nomination. As a cadre party, usually there would not be any contenders. The new president will be announced on Monday at a meeting of around 2,000 leaders including district presidents, secretaries, state council and state committee members, state office- bearers and mandalam presidents. The meeting will be held at Udaya Palace Convention Centre at 11.30.
According to party sources, former president V Muralidharan had expressed his inconvenience to hold the post when the discussions to select a new president started. Though the central leadership approached former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, he also conveyed his inconvenience.
This leaves incumbent president K Surendran, and senior leader M T Ramesh as frontrunners. If the leadership decides to choose a woman as the next president, Shobha Surendran has an edge though majority of leaders have reservations about her.
K Surendran has been holding the president post for five years. As the national leadership postponed the election process in view of the last LS election, his term extended to two more years. “Since an individual can hold the post of president for two successive terms within a three-year period, he has another term left.
He also has a chance to hold the post again. However, the national leadership had changed all state presidents who completed five years,” another BJP leader told TNIE. It was under Surendran’s leadership that BJP won the first parliament seat in the state and increased its vote share by over 19%.