Padmaja Venugopal, former Kerala CM K Karunakaran's daughter, to join BJP

Thrissur (Kerala): Padmaja Venugopal, the daughter of late Congress stalwart and former Kerala chief minister K Karunakaran, is set to join the BJP.

She would be the second such Congress leader to switch to the saffron party whose father was the former chief minister of Kerala.

Earlier, Anil K Antony, son of former Kerala Chief Minister and former Union Defence Minister AK Antony, joined the BJP.

He is contesting Lok Sabha polls from Pathanamthitta constituency.

The speculation regarding Venugopal gained traction on Wednesday after Padmaja, a senior Congress leader, deleted a Facebook post dismissing reports suggesting her switching sides.

Initially, in response to the reports circulating about her potential move to the BJP, Padmaja clarified via Facebook that it was merely a joke.

However, she later removed the post, intensifying the speculation about her actual intentions regarding joining the saffron party.