Organiser ex-editor to head BJP

Former editor of RSS mouthpiece Organiser and head of the BJP’s publication department R. Balashankar is likely to be appointed as the party’s Kerala unit chief.

The current chief, Mr V. Muraleedharan, has completed two terms. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Kerala next week, the name of the new state president of the BJP is expected to be announced after the PM’s visit.

Sources disclosed that BJP president Amit Shah wants the party organisation in poll-bound Kerala to be strengthened and is in favour of sending someone who does not belong to any faction.

For the saffron party, it is yet to emerge as a major player in the state. Factionalism is one of the major trouble areas for the party in Kerala.

With Kerala scheduled to go to polls next year, the BJP’s organisational polls will be delayed in this state. The BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit chief, Mr Tamilisai Soundararajan, is also likely to get an extension.

Organisations polls in the BJP state units are underway. The BJP holds organisational elections from central to state levels after every three years.