Padmaja Venugopal Biography- Authorities at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru were suspicious of a 40-year-old Venezuelan traveler arriving from Dubai (UAE) on February 9. He declined to eat or drink during the flight, prompting concerns. Following a medical check, it was discovered that the passenger had ingested capsules carrying 920 grams of cocaine. The confiscated drugs were valued at ₹9.2 crore, marking one of the largest drug seizures at KIA in recent history. The individual was acting as a courier for an international drug syndicate.
According to officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), he was transporting illegal drugs for his associate in New Delhi. Kerala BJP chief K Surendran announced on X that Congress leader Smt. Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of the highly regarded former Chief Minister Shri K. Karunakaran and sister of Congress MP K Muraleedharan, has officially joined the Kerala BJP. This announcement was made during an event held at the BJP Headquarters in New Delhi, with the presence of BJP Kerala prabhari Shri Prakash Javdekar ji. Warm greetings to Smt. Padmaja on joining the world’s largest political party.
Padmaja Venugopal Biography 2024
“It is an unfortunate decision that Padmaja has made at a time when the Congress in Kerala is striving to secure all 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The Congress party has consistently valued her highly. Muraleedharan, as reported by ANI, stated that the BJP will not benefit from Padmaja joining the party. He also mentioned that Padmaja had been given the party ticket to contest elections in Kerala three times, but she lost on each occasion.”
Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of the late Congress stalwart and former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, officially became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi on Thursday. Her move to switch parties occurred prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Referring to allegations of internal sabotage within the party resulting in her defeat, she mentioned, “I have refrained from lodging any complaints, as the ultimate decision lies in the hands of the people.” This statement was reported by PTI.
Padmaja Venugopal Biography Overviews 2024
| Real Name/Full Name | Padmaja Venugopal |
| Nick Name/Celebrated Name: | Padmaja Venugopal |
| Birthplace: | Thrissur |
| Date Of Birth/Birthday: | 27 October 1960 |
| Age/How Old: | 64 Years old |
| Category | Biography |
| About More | Click Here |
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Kerala’s Congress Leader & Former Chief Minister
Kerala BJP leader K Surendran announced on X that Congress leader Smt. Padmaja Venugopal, the daughter of former Chief Minister Shri K. Karunakaran and sister of Congress MP K Muraleedharan, has joined the Kerala BJP. The event took place at the BJP Headquarters in New Delhi and was attended by BJP Kerala prabhari Shri Prakash Javdekar. Smt. Padmaja was warmly welcomed to the world’s largest political party.
Venugopal’s brother and Congress MP K Muraleedharan expressed that joining the BJP was a betrayal and would not be advantageous to the party in any way. He emphasized that Karunakaran had always stood against communalism, making it disappointing for individuals with a secular perspective to see a family member align with the BJP.
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Party Ticket to Contest Polls in Kerala
“It is regrettable. Padmaja has made this decision while the Congress in Kerala is striving to secure all 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. She has always been highly valued by the Congress party. Muraleedharan stated to ANI that the BJP will not benefit from including Padmaja in the party.”
Muraleedharan also mentioned that Padmaja had been nominated three times by the party to run for elections in Kerala, and she had been unsuccessful on each occasion. He dismissed the notion that fellow party members were responsible for her losses, emphasizing that he himself had faced similar challenges. He added that he had not lodged any complaints as the voters ultimately determine the election outcomes.
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Parliamentary Affairs Committee of The Party
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Jebi Mather mentioned that Padmaja served on the Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the party and commanded respect within the political group. Mather emphasized that election results are influenced by the issues people face and how they are impacted, rather than by party departures. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan added that the shift of members from the Congress to the BJP, including Anil Antony, son of former Union Minister AK Antony, would not benefit the BJP in winning any seats in Kerala, which has 20 Lok Sabha seats. This year, elections for all 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held.
Congress in Kerala Lok Sabha elections
Congress in Kerala faces a setback as Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of former Chief Minister K Karunakaran, is poised to switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Recently, she held discussions with BJP leaders in New Delhi. Padmaja Venugopal, who previously served as the General Secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), is now set to make this move. This development follows Anil Antony, who transitioned from being the head of Congress party’s digital media in Kerala to joining the BJP in April 2023. Anil Antony, the son of veteran leader AK Antony, is currently a national secretary of the BJP and a potential candidate for the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency. Despite Anil’s relatively limited party experience, Padmaja has been actively involved in the party. She currently holds the position of vice president in the Indian National Congress and is a member of the party’s political affairs committee as of January this year.
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Politics Completely Congress Become Untenable
Padmaja ran for office in the Thrissur assembly constituency in both 2016 and 2021, but was unsuccessful on both occasions. She accused individuals within the Congress party of sabotaging her campaigns. Feeling betrayed by the party’s failure to address this issue and its decision to welcome those responsible, Padmaja expressed her disappointment and announced her departure from the Congress. She mentioned to Asianet News that she was considering stepping away from politics altogether due to the intolerable situation within the Congress. Ultimately, she decided to continue her political career by switching to the BJP.
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BJP Candidate from Pathanamthitta
Anil Antony has been named as the BJP candidate for Pathanamthitta, while there are rumors suggesting that Padmaja might run for the position in Chalakudy. A BJP insider mentioned that if Padmaja doesn’t run, the party will ask for her support in campaigning for their candidate Suresh Gopi in Thrissur. Suresh Gopi, who is a friend of Padmaja, reportedly played a role in her joining the BJP. Congress MP K Muraleedharan, Padmaja’s brother, criticized her decision and stated that the family will cut ties with her. He also stated that those associated with the BJP will not be allowed near Karunakaran’s memorial. Muraleedharan challenged between NOTA and BJP for more votes, mentioning that their father’s soul will not forgive Padmaja.
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