THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is indicated that state BJP chief K Surendran raised a demand before the central leadership to allow him to step down from the post of BJP state president. Surendran has been serving as the state president for five years. The central leadership meanwhile, is apprehensive of manoeuvring a leadership change, as they believe the progress made under Surendran’s tutelage in Thrissur and all across Kerala to be commendable.

The names of MT Ramesh and Shobha Surendran are being heard for the post of state president. But lately, V Muraleedharan and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar are also in the picture. Some factions within the BJP are backing Muraleedharan as they believe Muraleedharan to have spearheaded the winds of change within BJP in Kerala. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, on the other hand, has expanded his operations to Thiruvananthapuram and is on great terms with the central leadership.

Surendran was made the BJP state chief after PS Sreedharan Pillai relinquished the post to take up duty as Mizoran Governor. Surendran assumed the post of BJP state president on February 15, 2020. K Surendran will transform into an impregnable force in the party if the central leadership agree to extend his post as president for another term.

At the same time, the BJP is also appointing state leaders to the posts of district presidents to increase organizational capacity and create new awareness. BJP had divided the 14 revenue districts of Kerala into 30 organizational districts to ramp up work as part of the upcoming local body elections. Thirty new presidents will assume duty for the BJP soon.