Pathanamthitta: Padmaja Venugopal, who recently switched over to the BJP from Congress, accused her former party of neglecting K Karunakaran’s children and said her brother and UDF candidate in Thrissur K Muraleedharan would realize the same soon.

“Congress does not want Karunakaran’s children. Muraleedharan will realize that. I’ve left that party after rolling out a red carpet for him to join the BJP,” she said here, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival at the NDA election meeting.

She claimed that more people would come out of Congress, which is on the verge of destruction. “The AICC office will have to be shut after this election,” said Padmaja.

Referring to the “harsh verbal attacks’ against her from certain Congress leaders, she said the same people played a major role in her leaving the party. “I will reveal everything against those forces one day who have conspired and acted against me,’ she said.

She charged that Congress didn’t accord any importance to women while she received the recognition that she deserved in the saffron party. 

“I’ve never seen a woman in the front row of Congress events. The daughter of Karunakaran too was always offered a seat in the second row. I stayed with that party this far despite being neglected and meted out bad treatment….People ask me why I joined the BJP. What attracted me to this party was Modiji and his development initiatives. He does not even have a family. His family is Bharat. Also, the respect he gives to women,’ she said.

Padmaja exuded confidence that the BJP would open an account in Kerala this time and also would make significant achievements at the next assembly elections.

 “I like to work in BJP as an ordinary party worker,” she added.