BJP Kerala equations shift as Surendran gets national role

The BJP's national office-bearer list, announced on Monday, has reshaped internal group equations in Kerala. K Surendran and Anil Antony have been appointed national secretaries, while A P Abdullakutty lost his post as vice president. The reorganisation is seen as boosting the V Muraleedharan faction in the state unit's internal rivalries.

The P K Krishnadas faction suffered a setback, as neither Krishnadas nor his representatives secured any posts. Prominent female leader Sobha Surendran was excluded from the list despite the national emphasis on female representation. Anoop Antony, who contested from Thiruvalla in the recent assembly elections and finished second with 43,078 votes, was also overlooked for any role, despite his close ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mathrubhumi reports that Surendran's national role comes after he stepped down as state president in March 2025, having held office since February 2020. Abdullakutty, who joined the BJP from the Congress in 2019, lost his national vice president post.