Former mahila congress general secretary R Reshmi joins BJP, accepts membership from Rajeev Chandrashekar 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former mahila congress general secretary R Reshmi has joined the BJP. She accepted the membership from BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. While talking to the media, she said Congress is a movement held close to her heart and the bitter experiences she faced in Kottarakkara after the last assembly elections forced her to distance from the party.

'I will reveal more details in the coming days. Aisha Potty's entry is not the reason for my decision. A section deliberately kept me away. A person in the Congress said bad words about me. No action was taken even after complaining to the leadership.

Only opposition leader V D Satheesan and Kodikunnil Suresh spoke to me after hearing about my decision. Financial issues are not the reason for leaving the party. My work will be in and around Kottarakkara. The party president will decide which constituency to contest from,' clarified Reshmi.

Reshmi contested as the UDF candidate from Kottarakkara in 2021. Ever since Aisha Potty joined the Congress from the Left Front, Reshmi had been at odds with the party leadership. Reshmi had placed two conditions before the Congress. The demand was that the party should settle the financial liability incurred in the last election and that if the UDF comes to power, she should be given one of the board and corporation posts. However, the Congress leaders did not give a positive response. Reshmi later stood firm in her decision to leave the party.