PALAKKAD: BJP’s lacklustre performance and the defeat in Palakkad have ignited a silent rebellion within the party against state president K Surendran. Popular leader Krishnadas took shots at the party leadership for the appalling defeat in Palakkad.

BJP state chief K Surendran had camped in Palakkad and was spearheading the campaign in the constituency. Despite his efforts, the party lost votes from its strongholds. Many within the party have tacitly approved of a leadership change.

There are contrarian views on the mundane selection of C Krishnakumar as the candidate in Palakkad. Some even raised voices against the condescending leadership decision that saw Sandeep Varier leave the party just four days before the crucial election. The councillors of the municipality were absent from the road shows in the first phase and the state party chief failed to create a coherent atmosphere. No effort was made to bring the dissenting councillors to the campaigning. The Krishnadas faction has now demanded an urgent core committee to discuss the election debacle.

It is believed that Union Minister Suresh Gopi and former Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar were deeply dissatisfied with the candidate selection in Palakkad. BJP leader Sandeep Vachaspati also criticized the party’s failure to resist the controversy over party leaders jumping ship in Palakkad.