Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of veteran politician K. Karunakaran, recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala. She cited humiliation and lack of support from the Congress as reasons for her departure. Padmaja, who had previously contested and lost in assembly and Lok Sabha elections, stated that she was not seeking any specific position in the BJP. Her brother, Congress MP K. Muraleedharan, criticized her decision to join the BJP, saying he was cutting ties with her. The move was seen as a blow to the Congress, with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) highlighting the leadership crisis within the party. BJP leaders in Kerala viewed Padmaja’s entry as a positive development that could boost the party’s chances in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This shift in loyalties by prominent political figures in Kerala reflects the changing dynamics in the state’s political landscape.
Days after issuing a ticket to Antony’s son, BJP welcomes Kerala ex-CM Karunakaran’s daughter Padmaja into the party
