VJ Shaji, brother of Sunny Joseph, president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), has joined the BJP. He was formally inducted into the party at a function held at Puthiyatheru in Kannur by Sadanand Shet Tanavade, former Goa BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP.
Speaking after joining the BJP on Thursday, Shaji V. Joseph said that he decided to leave the Congress and join the BJP as he was attracted to the ‘development-oriented politics’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shaji began his public life with the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Congress, in 1975 at Ulikkal Panchayat High School. He later served as the Ulikkal mandalam president of the Youth Congress and the Congress.
Earlier on March 6, Shaji participated in a mega adalat held in Dharmadam under the leadership of BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Shaji then said he had attended the event to file a complaint, but added that he was also considering joining the BJP.
Meanwhile, two Congress leaders in Thiruvananthapuram joined the BJP on Friday in protest against not being given candidature. Congress leader BS Anoop, who contested as a UDF candidate from Chirayinkeez last time, and Youth Congress general secretary RS Arun Raj have joined the BJP. BJP state president Rajiv Chandrasekhar has given membership to both of them at a function held here at the BJP state headquarters.
B. Anoop was a member of the Chirayinkeezhu block panchayat. Anoop left the party in protest against the Chirayinkeezhu seat being given to Ramya Haridas.