Senior Congress leader Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of the late K. Karunakaran, a four-time Chief Minister of Kerala, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 7. The formal acceptance of her membership took place at the party headquarters in New Delhi, where she was welcomed by BJP leader Prakash Javdekar.
Padmaja, who has served as an executive member of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and previously held the position of KPCC Vice President, expressed her dissatisfaction with the Congress Party, citing sidelining and demotion within the party ranks. She highlighted that she was relegated from the vice presidency to the executive committee, leading to her decision to part ways with the party.
Having contested in parliamentary and assembly elections since 2004, Padmaja claimed that she faced internal sabotage within the Congress, alleging that party colleagues shifted votes to her opponents to ensure her defeat. Despite her long-standing association with Congress, Padmaja noted that promises made to her, such as the construction of a memorial for her father, were unfulfilled, adding to her disillusionment.
Speaking about her decision to join the BJP, Padmaja cited the party’s strong leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, contrasting it with what she perceived as a lack of leadership within the Congress. She emphasised the appeal of PM Modi’s leadership for the country and expressed confidence in the BJP’s ability to address the challenges facing the nation.
Dr. Venugopal, Padmaja’s husband and a renowned paediatrician in Kochi, echoed his wife’s sentiments, asserting that her departure from the Congress was a result of humiliation and orchestrated election defeats by party leaders.
Padmaja’s elder brother, K Muraleedharan, a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), who entered politics in the late 1980s and held positions such as KPCC president and minister, criticised his sister’s decision to leave the party. Allegations of dynasty politics were levelled against Muraleedharan during his political career. In response to her brother’s comments, Padmaja countered that she remained loyal to the party even when her father briefly left it, accusing Muraleedharan of working against Congress in the past.
Welcoming Padmaja into the BJP fold, Prakash Javdekar described her entry as indicative of significant political shifts in Kerala. Padmaja clarified that she did not make any requests to the BJP leadership for a Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Karunakaran, fondly known as the ‘Leader,’ served as Chief Minister of Kerala four times and played a pivotal role in shaping the state’s political landscape. But, Karunakaran remained the most trustworthy aide of Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi, and Narasimha Rao. In fact, Karunakaran was the kingmaker of Congress, who facilitated Rao’s elevation to the hot seat. But, afterwards, Rao did not keep him in good humour due to reasons known only to him. Later on, Sonia and Manmohan Singh also did not give him the recognition he thought he deserved. Since then, he was never in good terms with the Congress High Command. Once, he even left the party and formed a new party.
Padmaja’s decision to join the BJP, along with that of Anil Antony, signifies a significant shift in Kerala politics, with thousands of followers expected to follow suit.Now, the children of two charismatic CMs, Anil Antony of A.K. Antony and Padmaja Venugopal of K. Karunakaran, have joined the BJP. It is really a shot in the arm for the party in Kerala. Thousands of followers are likely to follow their leaders on the way to the BJP. Naturally, it is going to make a lot of difference in the imminent Lok Sabha polls. The move is expected to bolster the BJP’s prospects in the state, particularly in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The entry of two charismatic leaders’ children into the BJP fold is viewed as a significant boost for the party, potentially altering the political dynamics in Kerala. As the state gears up for crucial electoral battles, Padmaja’s exit from the Congress is likely to have far-reaching implications, reshaping the political landscape and influencing the electoral outcomes in the region.
