Shashi Tharoor had playfully barbed a congratulatory message for Rajeev Chandrasekhar after the latter was elected as Kerala BJP Chief, ‘Looking forward to crossing swords again!’ Former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been unanimously elected as the BJP president of Kerala.
Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor had defeated Rajeev Chandrasekar to a Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 16,077 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Rajeev Chandrashekhar Elected Kerala BJP Chief
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi officially made the official announcement on Monday. “Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been elected unanimously,” Joshi said.
Over the weekend, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) central leadership put forward the name of former MP and Union Minister of State, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, as their pick for the next president of the party’s Kerala division. The core committee, overseen by BJP central observer Pralhad Joshi, formally agreed on the decision.
With Chandrasekhar receiving such strong backing from the central leadership, any potential contest for the post was ruled out. The election notification had been issued on Saturday by the BJP’s state returning officer, Narayanan Namboodiri.
On Sunday, BJP leader V Muraleedharan said, “The core group unanimously decided that Rajeev Chandrasekhar should be the next (Kerala BJP) President. In the coming elections, under Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s leadership, the Kerala BJP will ensure that the BJP wins more seats in the local bodies and makes a significant presence in the Kerala assembly.”
Shashi Tharoor Congratulates Chandrashekar
Taking to microblogging site X, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor posted, “Congratulations and best wishes to the newly elected Kerala State President of the BJP, Rajeev Chandrashekhar. Looking forward to crossing swords again!”
In the 2024 general election, Shashi Tharoor saw off Rajeev Chandrasekhar in the contest for the Thiruvananthapuram seat, securing victory by a margin of 16,077 votes. Tharoor polled 358,155 votes, while Chandrasekhar received 342,078.
Strategic Move by BJP?
The appointment of Rajeev Chandrasekhar as the BJP’s Kerala president is widely viewed as a strategic manoeuvre by the party, designed to capitalise on recent gains in the region.
Party leaders believe Chandrasekhar’s appeal among younger voters and his pro-development stance could boost their prospects in upcoming local elections.
The BJP’s decision to field Rajeev Chandrasekhar against Congress heavyweight Shashi Tharoor in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Thiruvananthapuram very nearly paid off, with Chandrasekhar mounting a strong challenge.
Though Rajeev Chandrasekhar ultimately lost the election by a narrow margin of 16,077 votes, he significantly increased the party’s share of the vote in the constituency, securing 35.52 per cent—a better result than veteran leader O Rajagopal achieved in a previous election.