BJP Kerala core committee meeting begins even as leaders try best to quell reports of internal rumblings

The two-day core committee meeting of the Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began here on Monday amidst efforts by some of the key leaders to quell rumours about the removal of K. Surendran from the post of State president holding him responsible for the electoral setback in the Palakkad Assembly bypoll.

Though there was no official word on the outcome of the first day’s meeting held in the presence of BJP Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar, some of the leaders dropped signs of a temporary truce in the demand for Mr. Surendran’s removal.

‘Media blamed’

Shobha Surendran, State vice-president, blamed a section of the media for allegedly trying to create a perception that all was not well among the party leaders. “Why are you so worried about the State president when the Kerala prabhari himself had made it clear that Mr. Surendran is performing well,” she asked.

V. Muraleedharan, former Union Minister, stated that he was not in the race for the post of the State president. “I had served the party for six years as the State president earlier. The core committee is being held to discuss the preparations for the forthcoming local body and State Assembly elections,” he said.

M.T. Ramesh, State general secretary, said that there were no discussions on the leadership change in the party. “There are procedures for it. The core committee will discuss the party’s performance in the Palakkad bypoll,” he said.

A.N. Radhakrishnan, State vice-president, said that the party had faced defeat in various elections in Kerala earlier. “We will analyse the defeat in Palakkad and initiate strong measures to make a mark in the coming local body and Assembly elections,” he said.