Padmaja Venugopal, Congress leader and late Kerala CM K. Karunakaran’s daughter, signals she will join BJP soon
The Hindu
Padmaja Venugopal, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary and late Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran’s daughter, has signalled that she will soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Padmaja Venugopal, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary and late Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran’s daughter, has signalled that she will soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Ms. Venugopal’s radical and unexpected change in political allegiance has caught the Congress party by surprise and accorded potent ammunition to the ruling Left Democratic Front and the BJP to pound the United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition on the Lok Sabha elections campaign trial.
It also did not help the Congress that Ms. Venugopal was a member of the party’s apex Political Affairs Committee (PAC).
Ms. Venugopal’s desertion from the Congress also raised concerns about whether it would, at least in some measure, subvert the credibility of the UDF’s, including the Indian Union Muslim League’s (IUML), strident anti-BJP messaging at the hustings.
Two high-profile defections from the Congress to the BJP in the past 11 months have stunned the KPCC and raised scepticism about the leadership’s ability to close ranks at the time of a pivotal national elections.
In April 2023, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony’s son Anil K. Antony deserted the Congress to join the BJP. He is currently contesting on the BJP ticket from the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency.
The jury was out on whether the BJP would repeat the same pattern and consider Ms. Venugopal as a possible candidate from the Chalakudy Loka Sabha constituency to unsettle the Congress incumbent, Benny Behanan. The BJP had accorded the Chalakudy seat to the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena(BDJS), an NDA ally, which was yet to declare its candidate.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urges people to understand the organisation's goal of uniting Hindu society, emphasizing close contact over distance.
Madurai Reader’s Mail
Congress accused Himanta Biswa Sarma of indulging in an “atrocious smear campaign” against Gaurav Gogoi.
Historic one-day Assembly session in Kokrajhar symbolizes peace and integration, a major highlight of Chief Minister Sarma's tenure.
The debate on reservation in judicial appointments for diversity and representation in the Supreme Court and High Courts.
Boosting business confidence, India and U.S. aim to double commerce to $500 billion by 2030 through bilateral trade agreement.
Actors Vikrant Massey and Bhumi Pednekar advise students to focus on life skills, not just exams, during PM's Pariksha Pe Charcha.
Two Rajpura youths deported from the U.S. arrested for murder upon landing at Amritsar airport.
Fatal accident on Purvanchal Expressway in Barabanki; tempo-traveller collides with bus, leaving 4 dead and 6 injured.
Vizianagaram district installs CC cameras on State Highways to reduce accidents, identify vehicles, and promote road safety.
Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu mourns the death of film producer and actor Krishna Veni, honoring her contributions.
Illegal Indian immigrants deported from the U.S. were brought back in shackles, revealing the harsh reality of their journey.
UN report highlights resilience of ISIL and Al-Qaida, with ISIL-K posing a serious threat in Afghanistan and beyond.