K Surendran's absence in core committee meeting; BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar admits lapse

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar admitted a lapse for not inviting senior leaders to the BJP core committee meeting held the other day. This is the first time Rajeev faced criticism at a party meeting since taking charge.

The failure to invite former presidents K Surendran and V Muraleedharan to the state leadership meeting in Thrissur had drawn severe criticism. The explanation that it was an unofficial meeting exclusive to leaders in charge of local elections and district presidents didn’t convince party workers.

Some years back, when factions started popping within the BJP, the central leadership assigned V. Muraleedharan to K Surendran to solve the crisis. It was their deft approach that ensured BJP's rise as a crucial player in Kerala and the historic victory in Thrissur. With the recent happenings, the core committee fear the return of group politics within BJP.

Criticism:

• Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who came to eliminate groupism in BJP, has become a member of the Krishnadas faction. The former union minister seldom talks politics but relies on pompous lectures on development. This alone won’t bring results in Kerala.
• Rajeev’s dire move to woo Christians is going beyond the limits. Deviating from the ideological Hindutva notion won’t help the party in any way.
• Some leaders believe that the choice of a Christian candidate in Nilambur resulted in the party’s lacklustre performance.
• Rajeev’s new move to test the talent of office bearers will backfire. The move to ignore loyalists, who have been working day and night for the party, will only make matters worse.

As part of the compromise, K. Surendran was given the responsibility of holding a press conference after the core committee meeting on Monday. When enquired about his absence from the core committee meeting, Surendran said it was up to other leaders in the party to explain, but not him.