PALAKKAD: The move to bring former Wayanad district president K P Madhu, who resigned from the BJP the other day, to the Congress has been strengthened. The Congress is trying to take things forward in a way that he accepts membership from Priyanka Gandhi, who is coming to Kerala by the end of this month. Reports said all these things were decided in the discussions held between top Congress leaders and K P Madhu. Sandeep Varier is pulling the strings to bring Madhu to the Congress.

The Congress leadership believe that the arrival of another senior BJP leader to the Congress right after Sandeep Varier, will bring more enthusiasm to the workers in the upcoming local body elections and the subsequent assembly elections. They also believe that this will enhance the image of the Congress at the national level.

Sandeep Varier’s entry into the Congress has brought significant gains to the Congress in the Palakkad by-election. Along with the increase in the majority of Rahul Mamkootathil, this has also led to a decrease in votes for the BJP in its strongholds. Meanwhile, Sandeep Varier has intensified his efforts to bring disgruntled councilors, including those in the Palakkad municipality, to the Congress. His Facebook post, ‘no one willing to completely reject the ideology of hatred and animosity and become part of secularism and unite with the ideology of the Congress movement will be politically orphaned. This is sure.’

Although it is said that no one from the BJP will join the Congress, the leadership is afraid that prominent figures, including influential people, will leave the party. It is also reported that many hesitant are under the party's surveillance. Most of the activists said that it was the state leadership's mistake to leave Sandeep Varier, who has a lot of influence, to the Congress just before a crucial election. The result of this was clearly reflected in the Palakkad elections. They ask how the people will trust the party if leaders like this come out in a party that does not have even a single MLA in the state and are attacking each other.

However, K Surendran has the full support of the BJP central leadership over the internal rumblings in Kerala. The central leadership's stance is that Surendran should continue as the state president until the assembly elections.