BJP rebels step up drive against V Muraleedharan for sidelining Sobha Surendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP dissident faction is keen on bringing a change of guard in the state leadership before the local body elections.

With the party’s national president Amit Shah arriving here on May 18, the dissidents have stepped up their campaign against state president V. Muraleedharan for sidelining Sobha Surendran, national executive member, in the ongoing regional marches of the party.

The other two national executive members from the state, O. Rajagopal and P. K. Krishnadas, have been given space in the regional programmes of the party.

While they are in charge of several districts, the firebrand woman leader has been confined to small roles like inaugurating the concluding session of the party’s programmes.

“Muraleedharan is not aware that the national executive members are above him. He along with organisational general secretary K. R. Umakanthan had prepared the schedule of the BJP leaders for the regional marches of the party. Incidentally, the national BJP leadership had conducted a private survey among non-BJP cadre in the state to identify a prominent face for the party and Ms. Surendran had been adjudged as the ‘crowd puller.’ But Mr Muraleedharan is keen to downplay her image as part of a hidden agenda,” said a source.
Intelligence sources have also given a report in favour of the woman leader.

The dissident faction feels that when the party has brought in more than 22 lakh members to the BJP, in the recent by-elections to two of the corporation wards, the BJP was relegated to the third position.

They will bring it to the notice of Mr Amit Shah who will inaugurate the BJP’s protest in front of the secretariat on May 18 when the UDF government celebrates its fourth anniversary.