Four contenders for Kerala BJP president post; social engineering likely to be party's strategy
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With only hours left for the announcement of the state BJP’s new president, four names are in the final list of speculation among party workers. No leaders have any clue about the strategy of the central parliamentary board.
The returning officer for the election, Pralhad Joshi, has been asked to be present in Thiruvananthapuram at 10 am on Sunday.
The core committee meeting will be held at 11 am. In the meeting, Joshi will present the central leadership’s proposal. The central leadership has considered many factors, including social engineering, in the process.
Of late, the state BJP is carefully carrying out a social engineering programme in which its main aim is to attract the majority OBC-Ezhava community votes. In the last Lok Sabha elections, the party had successfully infiltrated many red forts in Malabar and south Kerala and increased its vote share. Hence there are chances that the central leadership might stick to its continuing formula.
Of the four frontrunners, K Surendran and Sobha Surendran are from the Ezhava community. Rajeev Chandrasekhar is from the Nair community while M T Ramesh represents the Vellala community.
Surendran, under whom the BJP registered its first-ever victory in the LS elections and polled almost 20% of votes, is one of the frontrunners. Former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar who had a stunning election contest in Thiruvananthapuram LS seat in 2024, is also in the reckoning. Though he had informed the central leadership earlier that he was not interested in holding the post, it is learned that Home Minister Amit Shah has asked him to be present at Sunday’s meeting.
Hence, Rajeev cancelled his plan to fly to Australia and will land in the state capital on Sunday morning. His busy schedule as a businessman is said to be the reason why he chose to stay away from organisational duties. However, if the central leadership asks him to take up the rein, Rajeev will be left with no option.
Senior leader M T Ramesh is another frontrunner for the post. He had lost the post between the cup and lip last time. Even leaders close to Surendran are of the view that if the incumbent president has to leave, Ramesh should be given a chance to head the organisation.
If the central leadership looks for a woman leader, senior leader Shobha Surendran will have her long-cherished dream come true.
There is a strong opinion in the party that, since there are two crucial elections- LSG and assembly- to be held within months, Surendran should be allowed to continue.
They also pointed out that though Surendran had served as president for the last five years, he may be allowed to continue in the post as he is eligible for a second term. However, it has to be seen whether the central leadership will consider this logic.
In 2015 when the then state president V Muralidharan was shifted for Kummanam Rajasekharan, there were only three months left for the assembly election. “If a new face is selected to head the organisation, a rejuvenation will happen,” a senior leader told TNIE.
Former police chief Jacob Thomas’ name also popped up during discussions. However, his recent remarks against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after she met CM Pinarayi Vijayan at Kerala House have not gone down well with the party.
The official declaration of the new president will be held at 11 am on Monday at a meeting of the state council which will be attended by district presidents, secretaries, mandalam presidents, and state office-bearers.
