Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a former Union Minister and technocrat-turned-politician, officially took charge as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Kerala state president on Monday, vowing to lead the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to power in a state long dominated by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
Addressing party workers in Thiruvananthapuram, Chandrasekhar declared his mission unequivocal: “I will return only after bringing the NDA to power in Kerala.”
Expressing gratitude to the BJP’s high command—Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and national president J P Nadda—Chandrasekhar embraced his new role with pride. “I thank the leadership for entrusting me with this responsibility, and I honor the sacrifices of past presidents and workers who’ve paved the way,” he said.
He underscored the party’s worker-driven ethos, spotlighting its recent gains in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including Suresh Gopi’s historic Thrissur win.
Chandrasekhar didn’t mince words in critiquing the Left government’s reliance on debt. “Why does Kerala survive on loans? Why must our students seek education abroad? Where are the new initiatives?” he questioned.
He painted a vision of a revitalized Kerala, urging, “We need investment and jobs to keep our youth here. The BJP’s mission is to transform this stagnation.” Quoting social reformer Sree Narayana Guru—“Progress through education, strength through organisation, and enrichment through effort”—he rallied workers to spread this message statewide.
The announcement came during the BJP’s state council meeting, where central observer Pralhad Joshi confirmed Chandrasekhar as the sole nominee after he filed two sets of nomination papers on Sunday. Outgoing president K Surendran handed over the party flag, praising Chandrasekhar’s unanimous election and predicting his expertise would turbocharge the party’s growth.
Surendran highlighted the BJP’s unprecedented rise in Kerala over the past decade, dismissing doubts about Chandrasekhar’s non-traditional political roots.
At 60, Chandrasekhar brings a robust resume: three terms as a Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka, stints as Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development, and Jal Shakti, and a role as the NDA’s Kerala vice-chairman.
Despite a narrow loss to Congress’s Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram’s 2024 Lok Sabha race by 16,077 votes, his 35.52% vote share underscored his appeal. Born in Ahmedabad to Keralite parents with roots in Thrissur, Chandrasekhar’s ascent follows Surendran’s five-year tenure, setting the stage for a pivotal push toward the 2026 Assembly polls.