Amit Shah to visit Kerala to discuss poll performance

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP national president Amit Shah is expected to arrive in the state by this month end or early next month to take stock of the post-poll scenario. Despite pumping in an ‘astronomical sum’ for the campaign activities in the state, the BJP state leadership could win only a seat from Nemom constituency, much to the displeasure of Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This newspaper had reported on Tuesday that Mr Amit Shah will be sending a team to investigate the mismanagement of election funds which is likely to put former state president and election committee convener V. Muraleedharan and general secretary K.R. Umakanthan in a quandary.

The BJP’s Thiruvananthapuram and Aruvikkara candidates, S. Sreesanth and film director Rajasenan respectively had directly lodged a complaint before Amit Shah citing that all the BJP local workers had themselves not cast their votes for them.

“Amit Shah had asked the current state leadership to ‘cleanse’ the party before the Lok Sabha elections. When he comes he will initiate a brain storming session on the poll debacle despite the best efforts of the national BJP leadership,” said a senior BJP leader.

Meanwhile, there are efforts by the BJP leadership to entrust the general secretary post to M.T. Ramesh with fulltime charge of office at Mararji Bhavan which will enable him to shift his base to the capital city from Aranmula. This is likely to threaten Mr Muraleedharan as he has been nursing his constituency, Kazhakoottam for a while ever since the local bodies elections last year.

There are efforts by the state BJP leadership not to hold the meeting of six general secretaries which used to happen once in three weeks. After Mr Amit Shah comes, district level leaders and mandalam leaders are expected to be removed except district presidents and general secretaries who have played spoilsport in the Assembly elections.