98 Left workers join BJP ahead of Assembly polls in Kerala

In a major boost to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala ahead of Assembly polls, as many as 98 members of Left parties joined the local unit of BJP in the presence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

Speaking to , BJP leader VV Rajesh confirmed the news and said the new members who joined the party offered to convert the local Communist Party of India (Marxist) local office to the BJP office.

"Today, 98 CPI(M) party members joined BJP under the leadership of Mukul Prabhakaran who was former Gram Panchayat president and CPI(M) area Committee member. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi welcomed them," he said.

"The newly joined CPI(M) workers offered their party office to BJP. And we are going to convert the CPI(M) local office to BJP office in the coming days," the BJP leader added.

Rajesh informed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the concluding ceremony of the party's Vijay Yathra on March 4.

"Many CPI(M) and Congress workers are in contact with us and want to join BJP and work for the party. There is a possibility of thousands of people will be joining BJP in the coming days," the BJP leader added.

Recently, Former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan joined BJP ahead of Assembly polls in Kerala.

Kerala is likely to face Assembly elections in April-May this year.

( With inputs from ANI )