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Rajeev Chandrasekhar is set to become the next BJP Kerala chief, with strong backing from the party’s central leadership. He is expected to file his nomination soon and face no opposition.
Entrepreneur-turned-politician and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. (Photo: PTI)
Entrepreneur-turned-politician and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is poised to take over as the next Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala chief as the party’s central leadership reportedly backed his nomination for the role.
Chandrasekhar, who attended the party’s core committee meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, filed his nomination for the president’s post at the BJP’s state headquarters at Mararji Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.
He is unlikely to face any opposition, and BJP leaders appeared confident that Chandrasekhar’s election to the post will be unanimous. Chandrasekhar’s name is set to be officially announced at the party conclave on Monday, which will be held at the Uday Palace Convention Centre in Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram. Union Minister and senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi, responsible for the party’s organisational elections in Kerala, is expected to make the announcement during the meeting.
Why BJP Top Brass Backed Him
Chandrasekhar, who narrowly lost last year’s Lok Sabha election from Thiruvananthapuram to Congress’ Shashi Tharoor by just 16,000 votes, impressed party leaders with his strong performance despite joining the race late and having only two months to campaign.
A Nair by caste, Chandrasekhar is expected to solidify upper-caste Hindu votes in the state in the upcoming local body elections and next year’s assembly election, His close ties with prominent Ezhava community leader Vellappally Natesan and his family could further strengthen the BJP’s alliance with the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS).
With the growing divide between the Christian and Muslim communities in the state – both of which hold significant social, economic, and political influence – the BJP seems to be looking for a leader who can appeal to the Christian community. A segment of the Christian population, which makes up 19% of the state’s population and is traditionally loyal to Congress, has reportedly grown disillusioned with both the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) due to their neglect of Christian concerns and the increasing political influence of the Muslim community.