THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader K Muraleedharan, who was recently selected as Thrissur congress candidate to subdue the BJP influence in the constituency, revealed that it was former DGP Loknath Behera who played mediator to help Padmaja Venugopal join BJP. The crucial revelation from Muraleedharan came during an interview with a regional television channel.

Behera, who was the Kochi City Police Commissioner during K Karunakaran’s tenure as Kerala CM, always harboured a good relationship with the family and also with Padmaja. Behera who is known for his great bonhomie with both PM Modi and Pinarayi Vijayan is the main player who pulled strings to help Padmaja switch party, according to Muraleedharan.

K Muraleedharan also alleged the current move to rope in Padmaja to BJP as an act of vengeance from BJP leadership who were aghast for his role in the saffron party losing the highly favourable Nemom constituency during the 2021 elections. Muraleedahran then belittled Padmaja saying that the congress would have little work to do if his sister started campaigning for BJP in Thrissur.

Muraleedharan revealed that his main objective would be to restrict the BJP to the third position everywhere across Kerala and vowed to do his job assigned by the party leadership.

“I will not allow Karunakaran to be handed over to the BJP gang. I am ready for BJPs challenge in Thrissur” Muraleedharan said.