Thiruvananthapuram: The recent appointments of central office bearers of BJP from Kerala have triggered a spell of cold war within the state unit of BJP.
Most leaders are now looking forward to the reconstitution of the National Executive Council of the party. Even the RSS which is gearing up for the forthcoming local bodies’ poll is annoyed over the central appointments.
The differences that cropped up in the state unit with the appointment union minister V Muraleedharan’s close confidante K Surendran as the state president has yet again come to the fore. What has startled the state leadership is the appointment of A P Abdullakutty as national vice president and Tom Vadakkan as the official spokesperson of the party.
Not to say the appointments of former Congressmen to these important positions has led to huge disappointment among the Kerala leaders who were expecting placement crucial positions in the national leadership. The is RSS particularly annoyed over former Mizoram Governor and veteran leader Kummanam Rajashekharan’s rejection yet again.
It is suspected that the Centre's displeasure over Kummanam's decision to relinquish the Governor's post by himself to re-enter state politics, is not yet over. There is a strong demand emerging from Kerala to consider Kummanam, P K Krishnadas and Shobha Surendran for national-level responsibilities. Krishnadas faction leader A N Radhakrishan's name is also doing the rounds for national office bearer’s post.
Shobha Surendran, the firebrand party leader, who was eying the state president's post has kept away from active politics following her exclusion from the core committee. Her prolonged absence from active politics has brought the party leadership under pressure. The state leadership has tried to mollify her with the explanation that the core committee was not constituted in Kerala but nominated by the central leadership.
The state leadership has denied reports that one of the groups within the party had held a meeting under Shobha's leadership. There are people within the party who feel that Shobha should take over the leadership of the agitations being currently organized by Mahila Morcha in the state and utilize the opportunity deftly to make a return to state politics.
There are reports that she might be elevated to national office bearer’s post in Mahila Morcha. At the same time there is also a question mark over her continuation in the National Executive Council.
It is understood that K Surendran has sought the intervention of party central leadership to resolve the internal conflicts in the state unit lest it affected the current agitations against the state government and preparations for the crucial local bodies’ poll.
The party has begun preparations for the local bodies’ poll by concentrating in over 6000 wards across the state. Efforts have also begun to bring in new faces particularly those from outside the party who enjoy support of the public.
