Tom Vadakkan joins BJP, was once a staunch Sonia Gandhi loyalist

“The use and throw culture in Congress is just not acceptable for a self-respecting worker like me and that’s why I am here,” he reportedly said.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 14 Mar 2019 03:27 PM (IST)

Tom Vadakkan joins BJP, was once a staunch Sonia Gandhi loyalist Tom Vadakkan joins BJP, was once a staunch Sonia Gandhi loyalist

Senior Congress leader Tom Vadakkan joins BJP in New Delhi.

Tom Vadakkan said he deeply hurt by his party's statements post Pulwama terror attack

The 61-year-old said he believed in PM Narendra Modi’s development narrative.

Vadakkan’s entry into the saffron party comes at a time when Congress president Rahul Gandhi is in Kerala to review the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Tom Vadakkan on Thursday joined Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Tom Vadakkan is considered to be a close aide of Sonia Gandhi who is chairperson of Congress party. Vadakkan said the Congress’ statements after the deadly Pulwama terror attack that left 40 CRPF jawans dead had deeply hurt him and was the prime reason for him to quit the party. “The reason why I left Congress party in Kerala was because of its reactions after the Pulwama terror attack. It hurt me deeply when it questioned the integrity of the armed forces,” he said after being inducted into the BJP. “The use and throw culture in Congress is just not acceptable for a self-respecting worker like me and that’s why I am here,” he reportedly said. The 61-year-old said he believed in PM Narendra Modi’s development narrative. Vadakkan joining the BJP is considered a massive setback to the Congress as he was a close aide of Sonia Gandhi. He was Congress’ national general secretary and a prominent leader from Kerala. Vadakkan’s entry into the saffron party comes at a time when Congress president Rahul Gandhi is in Kerala to review the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP is likely to Vadakkan in the Lok Sabha elections from a seat in Kerala. In 2009 there was infighting within the Congress over the leadership considering his candidature from Thrissur seat. While being a staunch Congressman for decades, Vadakkan was always at the forefront lambasting the BJP and the RSS for pursuing ‘Hindutva politics’. Vadakkan's unexpected shift has embarssed the Congress party but reminded the BJP that until yesterday he had been abusing Modi. "Our best wishes to him," Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said when asked about Vadakkan joining the BJP. Surjewala said every person who leaves a party to join another party "searching for a better future", has something to say. "Till now he used to abuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi, so what is the opinion of Modi ji and Ravi Shankar ji on that," he asked. 5 things to know about Tom Vadakkan

Tom Vadakkan was born on 20th April 1958.
He has BA (Hons.) English Literature (Delhi University) and MA English Literature (Delhi University) degrees to his name.
He was the chairman for seven consecutive years at Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Science (Delhi University) and then chairman at Deen Dayal Upadhya College (Delhi University).
He was also a member of National Central Film Censor Board and a delegated member of Kerala Film Censor Board.
He worked as a media consultant in both corporate and government sectors.