(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) New Delhi: In a major setback for the Congress, the daughter of late Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, Padmaja Venugopal is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, after discussions with the party's national leaders in Delhi.
Padmaja, the current General Secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), reportedly feels sidelined by the party leadership, leading to her decision to switch parties.
Rumors about Padmaja Venugopal joining the BJP had surfaced earlier, but she denied them through social media. However, she later withdrew her Facebook post denying the rumors and changed her Facebook bio to "Indian Politician from Kerala."
The discord between Padmaja and Congress came to light when local leaders prevented her from joining Priyanka Gandhi's vehicle during an election campaign rally. Padmaja Venugopal faced successive electoral defeats in the Thrissur constituency in the last two assembly elections and the 2004 Lok Sabha election from Mukundapuram, prompting her to consider other options. Additionally, the delay in constructing K. Karunakaran's memorial by the Congress leadership reportedly contributed to Padmaja's decision to shift allegiance to the BJP.
Padmaja Venugopal is the daughter of K. Karunakaran, adding to the surprise among Congress ranks following Anil Antony, son of AK Antony, also joining the BJP camp.
She was the first woman to serve as the Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) President. Her involvement extended to various organizations, including being a member of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Working Committee, the Thazhappaya Employees Union, and the Technical Educational Society of India.
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