THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Padmaja Venugopal, senior Congress leader and daughter of former Chief Minister K Karunakaran, has joined BJP. The senior leader received BJP membership from national leader Prakash Javadekar at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday.Padmaja said she was staying away from the Congress ever since her defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections. She expressed happiness in getting an oportunity to work under a ‘powerful leader’ like Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a hard hitting, but short speech, Padmaja said she had raised comlpaints before the Congress High Command several times about how her own party colleagues who ensured her defeat in the 2021 assembly poll.Padmaja who initially addressed the media in English said she faced difficulty in working with Congress in her home town Thrissur. Expressing happiness in joining the saffron camp, Padmaja informed that the BJP leadership has not asked her to contest in the imminent Lok Sabha election.“I have been neglected in the Congress party. Despite giving several complaints before the leadership, my grievances were not addressed. I believe my complaint letters were dumped in the waste basket. Those leaders who ensured my defeat were given party posts pushing me to a quandary. The Congress party in Thrissur fell into the hands of four to five leaders. Initially I thought of ending my political career. But I had a change of mind and decided to work with a powerful leader, Modi”, said Padmaja in Malayalam.Earlier, Javadekar exuded confidence of bringing significant change in Kerala, hinting of Padmaja, walking away with key positions from the BJP. He informed that they will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday where Padmaja will be given a rousing reception at the airport.When news broke of Padmaja ditching the Congress on Wednesday night, KC Venugopal, national general secretary (organization) held talks with her. But the 64-year-old woman leader was in no mood to relent as she was firm in her demand to have the Rajya Sabha seat which has already been promised to the IUML.Younger daughter of Karunakaran, Padmaja who nursed political ambitions had never managed to win an Assembly or Lok Sabha election. She had unsuccessfully contested from Mukundapuram Lok Sabha constituency in 2004 and Thrissur Assembly seat during 2016 and 2021 polls.She had served as KTDC chairperson under the UDF government. In the party she was now serving as KPCC’s Political Affairs Committee member. She had previously held the posts of KPCC vice president, KPCC general secretary and AICC member. The immediate trigger to join the BJP camp was the Congress decision to give a second Rajya Sabha seat to the Muslim League.
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