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Businessman-turned-politician and former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is set to take charge as the Kerala chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the party’s state core committee unanimously supported his nomination. The formal announcement is expected on Monday, according to party leaders.
Chandrasekhar, a three-time Rajya Sabha MP with roots in Kerala, was nominated at the BJP state core committee meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The proposal was put forward by the party’s state in-charge Prakash Javadekar and co-in-charge Aparajita Sarangi. After a brief discussion, core committee members unanimously ratified his selection. This marks the first time a leader without a Sangh Parivar background has been elevated to the top post in Kerala.
Filing of Nomination and Expected Unanimous Election
On Sunday, Rajeev Chandrasekhar submitted two sets of nomination papers for the position at the BJP headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.
“Rajeev Chandrasekhar has filed his nomination papers for the election to the post of the state president. The party’s core committee members and senior leaders have backed his nomination. No other leader is expected to file his/her nomination papers. Therefore, his election would be unanimous. The formal announcement will be made on Monday at the party’s state council meeting by observer and Union minister Pralhad Joshi,” core committee member and former Union minister V Muraleedharan told reporters.
Surprise Pick Over Local Leaders
Sixty-year-old Chandrasekhar will replace outgoing state president K Surendran, who has led the party in the state since 2020. His appointment comes as a surprise choice by the party’s central leadership, surpassing local favorites such as general secretary MT Ramesh and state vice-president Sobha Surendran. Both leaders were part of the core committee meeting on Sunday and expressed support for Chandrasekhar without any signs of internal conflicts.
“You (media) may say that Chandrasekhar does not have the experience of rising up the party’s ranks from the booth level. But the organization is always run as part of a collective effort with former state presidents and leaders also pitching in. Chandrasekhar is not a new person within the BJP. He has been a Union minister and proved his mettle. In the last Lok Sabha elections in Thiruvananthapuram constituency, he gained a lot of visibility among all sections of people and suffered a defeat by a small margin,” said Surendran.
Support from Party Leaders
Actor and BJP’s lone Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, Suresh Gopi, also expressed his confidence in Chandrasekhar’s leadership.
“He is going to be a catalyst. He was present in the last Union council of ministers and has good contacts in Delhi. It’s a good decision and we are very confident (about the party’s chances in future),” said Gopi.
Major Challenges Ahead
Chandrasekhar, who was born to Malayali parents in Gujarat and has ancestral roots in Desamangalam, Thrissur district, faces two major electoral tests in Kerala. The local body elections are scheduled for October this year, followed by the crucial state Assembly elections in April-May next year.
Belonging to the influential forward Nair community, which constitutes around 14% of Kerala’s population, Chandrasekhar’s leadership will play a key role in attracting support from the Hindu caste group, which has traditionally aligned with the Congress party. The BJP is also aiming to expand its voter base among the backward Ezhava community (23%) and the influential Christian community (19%). These groups are seen as critical to the party’s efforts to strengthen its political presence in Kerala, where it currently has no MLAs. The BJP’s best performance came in the 2016 Assembly elections when O Rajagopal won from Nemom, marking the party’s first-ever representation in the Kerala Assembly.
Expanding BJP’s Influence in Kerala
Despite the strong presence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the state, the BJP has struggled to convert organizational support into electoral success. However, recent electoral gains, such as Suresh Gopi’s victory from Thrissur in the last elections, where the BJP secured 16.68% of the votes, indicate growing support. A senior BJP functionary pointed out that the party is exploring alliances with smaller political outfits and introducing new leadership to engage with the youth and broaden its appeal.
Chandrasekhar’s Political Journey and Experience
Rajeev Chandrasekhar has served three consecutive terms in the Rajya Sabha, representing Karnataka from 2006 to 2024. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he contested from Thiruvananthapuram but lost to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor by a margin of 16,077 votes.
During his tenure in the Narendra Modi-led government between 2021 and 2024, he held key portfolios, including Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship. In Parliament, he was an active member of various committees, including the Joint Committee on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Communications.
