Rajeev Chandrasekhar Assumes Office As Kerala BJP Chief, Promises To Bring NDA To Power

Thiruvananthapuram

Former Union Minister and technocrat-turned-politician Rajeev Chandrasekhar took over as the state president of the BJP on Monday, announcing his mission to put the NDA government in office in Kerala, a state mostly controlled by the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF.

Speaking to party workers, Mr Chandrasekhar said he had been tasked with the mission of making the BJP-led alliance emerge victorious in the state and promised to return only after doing so.

Thanking party leaders and workers, Mr Chandrasekhar said he felt privileged to accept the role.

“For placing this responsibility on me, I thank my high command-Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda, and others from the core of my heart,” he said.

“I also thank all former state presidents and those who laid down their lives for the party. Their selflessness will be a guiding force in my journey forward,” he added.

Recalling the rising strength of BJP in Kerala, Mr Chandrasekhar touched upon the party’s show during the last Lok Sabha elections.

“The BJP is always a worker’s party and will continue to be one,” he said.

Condemning the Left front government in Kerala, he wanted to know on what terms and for how long the state was going to function by borrowing funds.

He inquired why the state relies so much on borrowings, why students are forced to study abroad, and why there are no new schemes.

“Development in Kerala has come to a standstill. Problems exist, but the BJP’s intention is to change the state. Without jobs, our youth will not remain. We must have an investment-friendly Kerala and provide employment opportunities,” he added.

Earlier, the party’s central observer Pralhad Joshi announced this at the BJP state council meeting.

Mr Chandrasekhar was the only candidate for the chief post and had filed two sets of nomination papers at the BJP headquarters on Sunday.

All senior state BJP leaders, including outgoing president K Surendran and state in-charge Prakash Javadekar, were present during the announcement.

K Surendran officially transferred the party flag to Mr Chandrasekhar on the stage.

Mr Chandrasekhar exhorted party workers to spread the message of development to every single family, noting that it is important to take the NDA to power in Kerala so that it can lead to progress.

In his conclusion, he cited social reformer Sree Narayana Guru: “Progress through education, strength through organisation, and enrichment through effort.” Addressing his speech, Surendran stated that the BJP has seen unprecedented development in Kerala in the last 10 years.

Observing that Mr Chandrasekhar was elected to the party’s highest position unanimously, he claimed that the experience and knowledge of the leader in all fields would speed up the development of the BJP in the state.

The former president also dismissed criticism that Mr Chandrasekhar is not a conventional politician, saying that he would excel in his new role.

At 60, Mr Chandrasekhar brings two decades of political experience to the position. He has served as Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti.

He is also a three-time Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka and national spokesperson of the BJP. He is also the vice-chairman of the Kerala unit of the NDA.

Mr Chandrasekhar is a popular personality in Kerala. He fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram on the NDA ticket but lost to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor by 16,077 votes.

Born to Keralite parents in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Mr Chandrasekhar has roots in Thrissur. His father-in-law is TPG Nambiar, the promoter of the BPL Group.

The election was conducted as K Surendran finished his five-year term as state president.