Row over Youth Cong workers joining BJP near ex-CM Karunakaran’s final resting place

PTI, Apr 9, 2024, 6:12 PM IST

BJP and its leader Padmaja Venugopal on Tuesday chose a venue adjacent to the final resting place of her late father and Congress stalwart K Karunakaran in this central Kerala town to welcome 50 Youth Congress workers to the saffron party fold.

This drew a sharp reaction from her brother and UDF candidate from Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, K Muraleedharan, who later said he would not give away the final resting place of his parents to Sangh Parivar people.

Owned by the Karunakaran family, ‘Murali Mandiram’, located at Punkunnam in the heart of the city, has been a venue of several significant political debates and discussions with regard to the Congress party for decades.

The event to welcome the Youth Congress leaders to BJP was held on a specially erected stage in the building near the final resting place of former Chief Minister Karunakaran and his wife Kalyanikutty Amma.

Those who joined the saffron party were reportedly the Mandalam office-bearers of the Youth Congress, who were close to Venugopal, in Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.

Besides Padmaja Venugopal, BJP state vice-president K Gopalakrishnan, district president Aneesh Kumar, state secretary Nagesh and so on welcomed the Congress leaders and activists to the saffron party by draping shawls.

They offered prayers at the memorial of Karunakaran after the function.

Padmaja later said several leaders and activists of the Congress expressed interest to join BJP and they would leave the grand old party soon.

However, the conduct of the function near the memorial of Karunakaran and his wife didn’t go down well with their son Muraleedharan.

A visibly annoyed Muraleedharan lashed out at his sister Padmaja and said he won’t give away the final resting place of his father and mother to Sangh Parivar people.

He also criticised Padmaja for choosing today, the anniversary of his departed mother, to organise the function.

”I never expected such a cheap political act from her on this day. I will be more vigilant in the coming days…The soul of my father will not forgive this act,” the senior leader further said.

He said he would make all possible efforts to wipe out the fascist forces from the land of Thrissur.

Muraleedharan also rejected BJP’s claim that over 50 YC activists joined the saffron party fold and said only three or four persons did so. Giving a shock to Congress, Padmaja Venugopal joined BJP early last month.

Following her footsteps, many other leaders including former Indian athlete Padmini Thomas and ex-District Congress Committee general secretary Thampanoor Satheesh had left the Congress and joined the saffron party.