Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Ex-Kerala DGP Loknath Behara facilitated Padmaja's BJP entry, claims Congress
Congress MP K Muraleedharan revealed during 'Point Blank' program of the Asianet News that it was former DGP of Kerala Loknath Behara who facilitated Padmaja Venugopal's entry to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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FollowThiruvananthapuram: The defection of former Congress leader Padmaja Venugopal to the BJP has sparked both political and familial discord within the Congress ranks. Congress MP K Muraleedharan has alleged that former Kerala DGP Loknath Behara acted as the intermediary in facilitating Padmaja's transition to the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, Padmaja refuted the allegations levelled against her and Behara.Â
K Muraleedharan disclosed Behara's name in the Asianet News program Point Blank'. Behara, who was the Kochi City Police Commissioner when K Karunakaran was the Chief Minister, has had a good relationship with the family and Padmaja since then, he claimed, adding that the BJP may have utilised this relationship. He openly asserted that Behara has strong ties with both PM Modi and CM Pinarayi Vijayan, insinuating that their influence facilitated Padmaja's move to the BJP.
Padmaja vehemently denied all allegations and challenged Congress to provide evidence of Behara's involvement. She also clarified that she has not met Loknath Behara for the past year.
AICC general secretary K Venugopal backs Muraleedharan
Congress leader KC Venugopal has reacted to Muraleedhara's revelation regarding Padmaja's entry into the BJP. Venugopal claimed that it was Loknath Behara who paved the way for Padmaja and asserted that there is evidence that the former top cop brought the late K Karunkaran's daughter to the BJP.Â
Venugopal alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan has a permanent system in Delhi for dealings with the BJP.Â
In a major setback for the Congress, Padmaja Venugopal who recently quit the grand old party, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday (Mar 07) in New Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. She was the KPCC general secretary and daughter of the late former Chief Minister of Kerala and veteran Congress leader K Karunakaran. Her decision comes after discussions with the party's national leaders in Delhi.
Padmaja Venugopal faced successive electoral defeats in the Thrissur constituency in the last two assembly elections and the 2004 Lok Sabha election from Mukundapuram, prompting her to consider other options. Additionally, the delay in constructing K. Karunakaran's memorial by the Congress leadership reportedly contributed to Padmaja's decision to shift allegiance to the BJP.
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