Thiruvananthapuram: Former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar was unanimously elected as the BJP president of Kerala, announced Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday.
“I am very confident that under Rajeev the Kerala BJP will reach new heights,” said Joshi.
“In Kerala, we have 19 per cent vote share and now with his stewardship and the full support of Modiji, the Kerala BJP will be shining,” said Joshi.
“I have known him for 25 years. He is a very strong Keralite. Due to his business interests, he came to Bengaluru. Before joining politics, he started to fight for better infrastructure whichever government was in office. He created a forum and fought for it. He worked for the citizens of the people in Bengaluru for better infrastructure,” said Joshi.
“I am very sure he has a clear blueprint for the development of Kerala BJP and Kerala. He has brought in so many changes as an entrepreneur, especially in the telecom sector. For his entrepreneurial quality he was made a minister by Modiji. He is always open to new ideas and the Kerala unit of BJP will always benefit,” added Joshi.
Minister Joshi said in Kerala there are 140 MLAs, of which 98 are with the Left and 41 with the Congress-led front but they fight here and outside they are friends.
“BJP is the only pan India party. We are either in rule or are a strong credible opposition except in Kerala and TN. We have to throw out both the Left and the Congress here and for that, all of you will have to go to the people and explain the policies of Modiji,” said Joshi.
Ending his speech, he urged the workers of the BJP to work with a killing instinct.
Earlier in the day, the outgoing president, K. Surendran, who was at the helm of affairs for the past five years, handed over the flag and minutes book to Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
In his brief speech, he said ever since the name of the president surfaced, questions were being asked if Rajeev has adequate experience at the party level work. “I can assure all that he is a perfect fit and we all saw it in the past year when he was here most of the time,” said Surendran.
“We are not a Hindu party at all but a party for all. Just look into the composition of our recently elected office-bearers at the district and grassroots levels. We have three district presidents out of 30 who are Christians, besides SC/ST and OBC people are also there and more importantly women are also there in key posts. No other party in Kerala can speak like this,” said Surendran.
Speaking on the occasion was veteran leader and in charge of the Kerala BJP, Prakash Javadekar, who said the BJP is the largest party in the world and all should be proud of that.
“We are proud of BJP because we have internal democracy. In the Congress three members in Parliament are from one party, while in Kerala not a single elected member in our party is a relative of any leader,” said Javadekar.
Present on the occasion were Union Ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurian and leaders like Anil Antony, P.C. George and others.
(IANS)
