Kochi: The BJP in Kerala, which has been witnessing an exit trend of late, had a moment to cheer on Sunday as a group of leaders from the Janata Dal (S), an ally of the ruling CPM, joined it here. Among those who shifted their allegiance from the Left fold to the saffron camp is Sujith Sunder, a television serial maker with a career spanning nearly three decades.
Sujith was a state council member of the JD(S). His decision to join the BJP, along with a group of senior leaders belonging to various Janata Dal factions, assumes significance for its timing.
Sujith chose to join BJP at a time when three prominent people from the film industry have severed their ties with the party. Senior Malayalam filmmakers Rajasenan and Ramasimhan aka Ali Akbar had recently announced their decision to quit BJP while actor Bheeman Raghu has also indicated that he wants to leave. Ramasimhan was a state committee member of the party while the other two were fielded as party candidates in previous assembly elections.
Sujith did not want to comment on why the three artists chose to leave the party. However, he exuded confidence that being an artist working in the television industry for the family audience, he would be able to work among the common people. A native of Tripunithura district, Sujith has directed over 20 TV soaps in 27 years. Some of his popular serials include 'Chandanamazha', 'Sthreejanmam' and 'Autograph' which were telecast on various Malayalam channels.
“We have realised that there is no sense of democracy in the Left front. We were not allowed to express our opinions on various matters in the alliance. Unfortunately, even those who become ministers from our party tend to keep silent and play second fiddle to the major parties of the alliance,” he said about his decision to quit.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, BJP state president K Surendran said he has been trying to bring back all those who left the party in recent times.
The Janata Dal leaders who joined BJP on Sunday include Palode Santhosh, Manoj Kumar, K Padmanabhan, Augustine Kolenchery, Narukara Gopi, Ayathil Appukkuttan, T P Premkumar and Khamarunnisa. Former Union Minister and BJP’s Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar received the new entrants into the party.
