Rajettan posing threat to LDF and UDF

PALAKKAD: It was a surprise even to the BJP veteran leader O Rajagopal when the BJP national president Raj Nath Singh invited him near to the podium, soon after he concluded his speech at the fort maidan on Tuesday night, and announced Rajagopal’s candidature to the Assembly election from the Palakkad Assembly constituency.

The BJP president had concluded his speech by around 9:30 pm after making the announcement. But, the presence of O.Rajagopal, popularily known as Rajettan, the proud son of Palakkad, should give sleepless nights to both the UDF and LDF.

Not only the high stature of Rajettan as a former cabinet minister and his significant contributions to the State as Minister for State of Railways but his widely accepted popularity as a prominent public and social figure among the Palakkadans that would hang as Damocles’ sword on the poll prospects of the UDF and LDF.

And, apart from his ground touch in Palakkad, the BJP’s veteran leader could make history in Palakkad, if the resentment among the CPM supporters over the VS issue and a possible decision of the DIC(K) to contest polls alone would work in Rajettans’ favour.

“I have good rapport among the people here and they would fall as votes in my kitty. We could benefit from out of the recent undercurrents in the State politics also”, said the BJP leader who shocked both the UDF and the LDF in Thiruvananthapuram in the last polls to the Lok Sabha polls 2004 by leading in two Assembly constituencies.

And, the realisation that Rajagopal will be fighting it out in just one Assembly constituency and that too his home ground should certainly disturb the peace of mind of both the LDF and the UDF.

“I don’t give importance to party politics when it comes to developmental issues.

“This I have proved during my tenure as cabinet Minister for five years in different ministries, viz. Railways, Parliamentary Affairs, Defence Production and Urban Development”, said he at a press conference held on Tuesday.

Actively involved in the public affairs and politics of Palakkad for more than 40 years, Rajettan has close personnel links with many sections of the Palakkadan society, cutting across party lines.

“The people of Palakkad are generally above politics and my style of approach to issues has widely been accepted. It was me who, in the capacity of MP, gave the maximum benefits to patients and the deserved persons from the PM’s fund. I am sure, all these would work in favour of me in the poll”, he hoped.

Speaking on pure politics, Rajagopal said the State and the Centre has experimented several party equations and it is going to be a newer one this time in the State which will complete half-a-century of its formation in 1956.

“It is not a healthy trend in politics that the people of Kerala stayed away from the BJP, a national party which has ruled the country and is ruling many States.

“But, this is a time for new experiments and the BJP would create history in Kerala this time, in Palakkad in particular”, the BJP leader hoped.

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