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In another setback to the Congress party ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls, Padmaja Venugopal, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary and late Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran's daughter, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here in the national capital in the presence of party's Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Javdekar and several other leaders.
Venugopal said that she was not happy with the grand old party. " I am so happy, A little bit tense because I stood with my party for so many years. For the first time, I am changing a party, because I was not happy with the Congress party for so many years. Especially, from the last assembly elections," she said while addressing the media. "I even sought an appointment from the central leadership, but they couldn't give me one. My father had the same experience. He was also unhappy. So, that is why I took the decision," she added. Attacking the Congress party, Venugopal said that there is no "leadership" in the party. "I didn't ask for anything, rather I wanted to work peacefully. I believe that strong leadership should be there in each party. In the Congress party, there is no leadership. I have immense respect for Soniaji but I couldn't see her. Because of the fact that she didn't give me an appointment," she said. Padmaja Venugopal also heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that he is a strong leader. "I believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modiji is a very strong leader; this is the sole reason why joined this party," she said. Meanwhile, Prakash Javdekar welcomed Venugopal to the party and asserted that the BJP would create history in the coming Lok Sabha polls. "There is going to be a big churning in Kerala. I welcome Padmajaji. We are very happy. Our Prime Minister has given us a target and we are going to create history in the coming Lok Sabha polls," Javdekar said. Venugopal, in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, contested from Mukundapuram (now Chalakudy) but lost. She contested the Kerala Assembly elections in 2016 and 2021 but lost both times. Venugopal has served as Congress vice-president and was recently appointed as the general secretary of the KPCC. The BJP, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, drew a blank while the grand old party swept 19 out of 20 in the state. The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year. (ANI)
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