Rajeev Chandrasekhar takes charge as new Kerala BJP President
text_fields
Thiruvananthapuram: Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar was elected as the new president of the Kerala state unit of the BJP on Monday.
The announcement was made by the party's central observer, Prahlad Joshi, during the BJP's state council meeting. Chandrasekhar was the sole nominee for the top post and had filed two sets of nomination papers on Sunday.
During the time of the announcement, all prominent state leaders of the BJP, including outgoing president K. Surendran and state in charge Prakash Javadekar, were present.
Surendran handed over the party flag to Chandrasekhar on the stage.
During his address, Surendran highlighted the party's remarkable growth in the state over the past decade, describing it as "unprecedented". He expressed confidence in the newly elected state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who was unanimously chosen by all party leaders, and stated that Chandrasekhar's extensive experience and expertise across various sectors will further accelerate the BJP's growth in the state.
The former president also rejected criticism from some quarters that Chandrasekhar is not a regular politician and said he could shine in his new role.
At 60, Chandrasekhar brings two decades of political experience to the role. He has served as a Union Minister of State for the departments of Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti.
He served as Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka for three terms and as the BJP's national spokesperson. He is the vice-chairman of the NDA's Kerala unit.
Chandrasekhar has a strong connection to the state despite being born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to Keralite parents. His family roots are in Thrissur, and he's also tied to the state through his father-in-law, TPG Nambiar, founder of the BPL Group.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a well-known figure in Kerala, contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram as the NDA candidate. Although he lost to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor by 16,077 votes, Chandrasekhar is now set to lead the Kerala BJP, succeeding K Surendran, who completed his five-year term.
(inputs from PTI)