Thiruvananthapuram: Ending all uncertainties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership has named Rajeev Chandrashekhar as the new president of the Kerala unit. The decision was made during a meeting held in Delhi, chaired by BJP central observer Pralhad Joshi.

The formal announcement will be made on Monday during the state council meeting at the Uday Palace Convention Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, as confirmed by BJP leader Prakash Javadekar. Chandrashekhar will take over from K Surendran, who has held the position for five years, two years as the interim president and three years in full-term capacity.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar, 60, has previously served as the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti. Chandrashekhar was also a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2006 to 2024, representing Karnataka. Although he lost his parliamentary seat in Thiruvananthapuram and subsequently lost his ministerial credentials, he remains an influential figure within the BJP. 

In addition to his political career, Chandrashekhar has been the national spokesperson and vice-chairman of the Kerala faction of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. 

Sources report that Chandrashekhar's name was suggested by the BJP national leadership during the core committee meeting, alongside other potential candidates such as M.T. Ramesh, V. Muraleedharan, and Shobha Surendran. On Monday, the National Council members from Kerala will also be elected.

K. Surendran, who led the state unit from February 2020, had support from his followers, who pointed to his successful tenure. Under his leadership, the BJP saw an increase in its vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and he played a key role in securing a victory for Suresh Gopi in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat.