Thiruvananthapuram: Victor T. Thomas, who resigned from the post of Pathanamthitta district president of the Kerala Congress (Joseph), joined the BJP in Kochi on Sunday.
Thomas served as the state president of the youth wing of the organisation as well as the state president of its student body. He had contested in 2011 and 2016 assembly elections as United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate and of late he was the Pathanamthitta district chairman of the UDF.
While speaking to media persons at Kochi, Victor said that the Kerala Congress led by the former minister, P.J. Joseph was not the old Kerala Congress and has lost the support of cadres.
It may be noted that the Kerala Congress led by P.J. Joseph is with the opposition UDF led by the Indian National Congress and the Indian Union Muslim Leageu.
He said that he was joining the BJP to be part of the nationalist movement and added that the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was taking BJP to great heights.
The joining of Victor T. Thomas to BJP will have a major impact in the Christian dominated district of Pathanamthitta.
As Victor has grassroot support in many areas of Pathanamitta district, his joining can prove to be a shot in the arm for BJP, just before the two-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.
The BJP is trying to woo the Christian community and the joining of Victor to the party will give a major boost to the party in the Christian belts of Tiruvalla, Chengannur, Pathanamthitta and Aranmula assembly constituencies.
BJP state president, K. Surendran, party prabhari for Kerala, and former Union Minister, Prakash Javedkar were present when Victor T. Thomas joined the BJP during a public function at Kochi on Sunday.
–IANS