Saffron strike: BJP snatches top CPM Leader's daughter to conquer Varkala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP has made a significant strategic move in Varkala by inducting Adv. Smita Sundaresan, a former CPM area committee member, and naming her as the party’s candidate for the assembly constituency. Smita, who previously served as the President of the Varkala Block Panchayat and is a current member of the Ottoor block division, officially joined the BJP after resigning from her local body post. She was formally welcomed into the party by BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The shift is particularly notable as Smita is the daughter of the late veteran CPM leader Sundaresan.

Regarding her departure from the CPM, Smita Sundaresan cited a decline in the party’s values, alleging that it is now driven by personal and selfish interests. She expressed that she was drawn to the BJP by the development initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Internal reports suggest that friction arose within the CPM after she was not considered for the Block Panchayat presidency despite her electoral win, a situation the BJP reportedly monitored and leveraged to secure her defection.

The decision to field Smita also resolves a period of internal tension within the NDA over the Varkala seat. The constituency was initially allocated to the BDJS, triggering widespread protests among local BJP workers, which included graffiti, leaked audio messages of dissent, and threats of a rebel candidacy. Some local factions had even called for supporting UDF candidate Varkala Kahar in protest. By taking the seat back from its ally and fielding a candidate with Smita’s local influence and family legacy, the BJP aims to consolidate its growing vote share in the region. While the BJP views this as a major blow to the CPM in the home turf of District Secretary V. Joy—who remains the LDF candidate—CPM leadership maintains that the defection will not impact their electoral prospects.