Pon Radhakrishnan, H Raja, KT Raghavan and Vanathi Srinivasan were all touted to be top contenders for the job.
L Murugan has been appointed as Tamil Nadu BJP’s State President. The announcement for the post that has been lying vacant since September 1, 2019, finally came on Wednesday.
Currently Vice Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes, a post he has been holding since 2017, Murugan contested under the BJP ticket from Rasipuram Constituency in Namakkal district in 2011 Elections and lost.
43-year-old Murugan has over 15 years of experience as an advocate and has been the Standing Counsel to the Government of India at Madras High Court since BJP came to power.
Speaking to TNM SG Suryah, spokesperson and Vice President of BJYM (BJP Youth Wing) of Tamil Nadu says, “I think the party has preferred a young person to lead the party in the Sstate.”
In September last year the Tamil Nadu BJP State President post fell vacant with the appointment of Tamilisai Soundarrajan as Telangana State Governor. Soon after the national ruling party elevated K Surendran as BJP chief in neighbouring Kerala in February, there was intense speculation about the appointment of a party chief in Tamil Nadu too. Former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, National Secretary H Raja, state Secretary KT Raghavan, General Secretary Vanathi Srinivasan were all touted to be top contenders for the job.
On being asked if the appointment has come as a surprise to those within the party, Suryah says, “I would not say it is a surprising move. BJP is known to identify and promote new talents.Previously, Mr S.P. Kirubanidhi served as a President, he too was from the SC community. Those arguments that BJP is a Brahmin Party don’t hold ground now. But as far as Murugan’s appointment goes it has to do with having a young person leading the party. More young persons may be inspired to join and lead the party in the state,” he adds.
Murugan was in the news recently for calling the murder of BJP functionary Vijay Raghu in Tiruchi as a fallout of him opposing ‘love jihad, though the police had said there was no evidence to suggest a religious motive.
The BJP’s last electoral performance in the state during the General Elections in 2019 saw the party losing the sole Lok Sabha seat it held in Kanyakumari. Incumbent Pon Radhakrishnan lost to H Congress’ Vasantha Kumar from the Secular Democratic Alliance, led by the DMK. The party has no lawmakers in the state Assembly either.
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Source: The News Minute