The choice of Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of former Kerala chief minister and Congress stalwart late Okay Karunakaran, to hitch the BJP has left the grand previous occasion in a quandary in Kerala earlier than the Lok Sabha polls.
Padmaja formally joined the BJP at a perform held on the occasion headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday.
The saffron occasion has urged that it marks the decline of the grand previous occasion.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Okay Sudhakaran termed Padmaja’s choice as “dishonest and betraying” the occasion and a “breach of confidence”.
He added that there have been no causes for Padmaja to go away the occasion and it was a “flawed and unlucky choice”.
The KPCC chief stated that he himself had taken many selections to guard her pursuits, however she disregarded all that to go away the occasion and be a part of the BJP.
“However, as she is the daughter of the late Okay Karunakaran, we nonetheless have love and respect for her,” he stated.
Emotionally reacting to the event, Okay Muraleedharan, senior Congress MP and son of Karunakaran, denounced his sister’s choice to depart from the occasion their father had nurtured, significantly forward of the Lok Sabha polls. He referred to as it a betrayal.
The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, however, sought to capitalise on the event by suggesting that it would erode belief within the Congress, as there can be no assure that its members wouldn’t be a part of the BJP after profitable.
CPI(M) State Secretary M V Govindan commented that the latest exit of members from the grand previous occasion, together with the son of Congress stalwart and former Union Minister A Okay Antony, and their entry into the BJP wouldn’t assist the saffron occasion win even a single seat in Kerala.
Earlier within the day, amidst indications that Padmaja would be a part of the BJP, Muraleedharan stated that her choice was a betrayal and that their father’s spirit wouldn’t condone it.
The Vadakara MP introduced that he’s ending his relationship along with his sister.
Muraleedharan additional stated that Karunakaran had by no means compromised with communalism and for a member of his household to hitch the BJP was a tragic consequence so far as individuals with a secular mindset have been involved.
“Our father’s spirit won’t condone it as a result of she went with a communal organisation. That’s the reason I stated all relationships and bonds together with her have ended. There will likely be no compromise with somebody who has betrayed the occasion at this stage even when she is my sister,” the Congress MP stated whereas chatting with reporters in Kozhikode.
On being requested by reporters as to why youngsters of Congress stalwarts reminiscent of Antony and Karunakaran have been leaving the occasion to hitch the BJP and whether or not the management was unable to stop it, Muraleedharan stated it was as a result of individuals’s wishes grew too massive.
“The Congress occasion has given nice consideration to her. That’s ample for many who work from home,” he stated.
Muraleedharan additional stated that each Antony and Karunakaran went by means of hardships to return up in life however their youngsters have by no means identified any difficulties and due to this fact get “such unhealthy concepts” of leaving the occasion and becoming a member of an organisation that’s “out to destroy the nation”.
BJP state President Okay Surendran, however, stated that Antony’s son Anil Okay Antony and Karunakaran’s daughter Padmaja’s choices are testimony to the growing recognition of the saffron occasion and the start of the downfall of the Congress.
Surendran claimed that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s growth agenda that was attracting individuals from throughout the state to the BJP.
“The Modi wave that’s sweeping the nation is starting in Kerala,” he contended.
He stated that a lot of those that have been criticising the BJP prior to now will now be a part of it, and that’s the reason they don’t seem to be saying something.
Taking a dig on the grand previous occasion, CPI(M) chief Govindan stated that extra individuals from the Congress will be a part of the saffron occasion, claiming that there’s not a lot distinction of their ideologies.
“Because of the smooth Hindutva stand of the Congress, it’s simpler for his or her members to hitch the BJP as there’s not a lot distinction of their ideologies. It has been taking place in different components of India for a while, however not in Kerala. However now it’s potential right here too.
“In such a scenario, how can the individuals belief them and vote for them? Is there any assure they may stay in Congress after profitable and won’t change over to the BJP? That’s an important query in Kerala politics presently,” the CPI(M) state secretary informed reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
Govindan additional stated that Modi and the BJP management claimed they’d win seats in double digits from Kerala within the upcoming LS polls as “they count on the winners to hitch them”.
“Nonetheless, there isn’t any chance of the BJP profitable even one seat from Kerala. Even the latest exit of members from the Congress and their becoming a member of the BJP won’t create a chance of them profitable even one seat,” he stated.
Muraleedharan, too, expressed the view that the BJP wouldn’t profit “even an oz.” from Padmaja becoming a member of it.
“Taking Padmaja won’t profit the BJP even an oz.. It’s going to additionally not have an effect on our willpower to battle. We’ll push the BJP to the third spot all over the place, together with in seats the place they hope to win.
“This betrayal can be answered by means of the EVMs,” the Congress MP stated.
Muraleedharan additional stated that Padmaja was thrice given the occasion ticket to contest polls in Kerala, and every time she had misplaced.
“So, the claims that others within the occasion have been behind her defeat are usually not acceptable, as there are a lot of who’ve tried to try this to me. I’ve not complained about it as a result of it’s the individuals who determine who ought to win or not,” he stated.
He additional stated that there was a time when he needed to go away the occasion, however even then he didn’t compromise with the BJP and be a part of it — though it might have been very straightforward to take action — as his father was somebody who by no means compromised with communalism.
#WATCH | Congress chief Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of Congress veteran and former Kerala Chief Minister Okay Karunakaran, joins the Bharatiya Janata Occasion in Delhi pic.twitter.com/mGXrJPEF2W
— ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2024
First Printed: Mar 07 2024 | 11:48 PM IST
