My father, a Congress veteran, will be happy today: Tamilisai on being appointed Governor
Chennai, Sep 1: Elated on being appointed Telangana Governor, BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday said her father, a Congress veteran, would be happy about her decision to choose the path she wanted to tread (join BJP).
Soundararajan, who served as Tamil Nadu President of the BJP since 2014, said she would proudly quit the leadership as she was instrumental in taking the party membership to 44.5 lakh in the state.
"...I chose BJP despite growing up as daughter of a Congress leader...Biggest challenge in my life was to stay determined about my decision to join BJP and make a mark for myself without any hurdles," she told reporters here.
A doctor by profession, Soundararajan said it was a choice she had to choose between her father's and her own path. "Today my father will be happy for my decision," she added.
The 58-year-old leader, who lost the Thoothukudi Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general elections to DMK's M Kanimozhi, said she was proud that under her leadership the party membership grew to 44.5 lakh.
"I would be quitting as the state party president with that happiness," she said, vowing to focus on development of Telangana.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UDF will have huge win in Kerala, NDA won't open its account: Cong leader Satheesan
Kochi (PTI): Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan on Friday expressed confidence in a huge win by the UDF, claiming it will make a clean sweep in five districts, and brushed aside speculations that the NDA will open its account in Kerala.
Satheesan, speaking to reporters here a day after the conclusion of the Assembly polls, praised the performance of the UDF leaders and workers during the election, saying it was the best ever he has seen in the last 30 years.
He said that his claims of the UDF getting over 100 seats is not a mere statement, but based on the work the front has done during the last five years to bring back all those who had left it in 2005 and as a result, there was a huge wave in its favour in the state.
The leader of opposition in the state assembly, who contested from the Paravoor constituency, further said that the Congress-led front also had a major social backing from minorities and marginalised groups in the society.
Besides that, there was an anti-incumbency feeling among the people who were disappointed with the LDF rule, he claimed and said that the UDF provided them with a hope and an alternative which no other opposition had done in the past.
"All these factors will contribute to a huge win for the UDF and it would not be surprising if we make a clean sweep in Malappuram, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. That is a total of 43 seats," he said.
According to him, the polling percentage increased because the UDF got people added to the electoral list.
He also brushed aside the LDF remarks about a woman or youth CM, saying that "they can make such statements now as they know they cannot win".
"Otherwise, why did they campaign with Pinarayi Vijayan as the main factor. Why did they say a third Pinarayi rule will come?" he asked.
He also claimed that the LDF's decision to spend government money on its political campaign, by putting up hoardings and carrying out social media programmes to sway voters, has also backfired as people realised that their taxes were being wasted like that.
Asked whether the NDA will open its account, especially in areas where the UDF claimed the BJP-led front had made a deal with the LDF, Satheesan replied in the negative.
He said that as of now he does not see any chance of the NDA opening its account in the state.
