March 23rd 2025.
Sources within the BJP have revealed that Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a prominent leader and former Union Minister, is expected to take on the role of state president for the saffron party. This comes after he emerged as the sole nominee for the position, and a formal announcement is expected to be made following the party's state council meeting on Monday.
According to sources, the official appointment will be declared by BJP's central observer, Prahlad Joshi, on Monday. Chandrasekhar has already filed two sets of nomination papers for the position at the BJP headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, in the presence of state president K Surendran and other senior leaders such as Kummanam Rajasekharan, V Muraleedharan, PK Krishnadas, MT Ramesh, and Union Ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurian.
At the age of 60, Chandrasekhar brings with him over two decades of political experience. He has previously served as a Union Minister of State for various departments, including Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti. He has also been a Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka for three terms and held the position of BJP's national spokesperson. In addition, he is currently the vice-chairman of the NDA's Kerala unit.
Chandrasekhar is no stranger to the state of Kerala, having contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram as the NDA candidate. Although he lost to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor by a margin of 16,077 votes, he remains a familiar face in the state. Born to Keralite parents in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, he also has family roots in Thrissur, and his father-in-law is the founder of the BPL Group, TPG Nambiar.
The election for state president is being held as incumbent K Surendran completes his five-year term. There was speculation that he may continue in the role, especially with the upcoming local body elections and the 2026 Assembly polls. However, according to party sources, Surendran himself has expressed his disinterest in continuing as state president and has already informed the central leadership of his decision.
In response to this development, BJP leader Shobha Surendran has welcomed the decision to appoint Chandrasekhar, stating that he is well-equipped to lead the party effectively. She further added that the decision was unanimous and that his strong leadership qualities will help take the party forward. Similarly, senior leader MT Ramesh expressed confidence in Chandrasekhar's leadership, highlighting his impressive performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Thiruvananthapuram. Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi also shared his belief that Chandrasekhar could be a catalyst in strengthening the party's organizational efforts, and that a strong team of Union Ministers and senior leaders will support him in fulfilling his responsibilities with unity.
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