LS POLLS

Padmaja Venugopal to contest from Wayanad against Rahul Gandhi?

New Delhi: Former Congress leader Padmaja Venugopal, who has recently switched over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is reportedly being considered as a potential candidate for the Wayanad constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

When asked if it is true that Padmaja is being considered in the Wayanad constituency, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar chose not to disclose details but hinted that more information might be shared in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.

Speculations are also rife about Padmaja representing the BJP in the Chalakkudy constituency; however, the party believes her candidature in Wayanad could have a significant impact at the national level, especially since she is the daughter of the late Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran and could potentially be pitted against prominent Congress figure Rahul Gandhi. Meanwhile, the BJP is also planning to allocate the Ernakulam seat to its ally, the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS).

After joining the BJP, Padmaja has also expressed admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating she respects him beyond political lines. She acknowledged her lack of in-depth knowledge about the BJP and expressed eagerness to learn more.

At the announcement event, BJP leaders Arvind Menon and Tom Vadakkan were present along with Padmaja, who also had a meeting with BJP National President JP Nadda.

Reflecting on her past experiences with the Congress, Padmaja revealed dissatisfaction with the party's treatment towards her, especially after her electoral loss in Thrissur. Despite efforts to communicate with the Congress High Command, she received no response, leading her to draw parallels with her father’s experiences of neglect within the party.