BJP bombshell hours before Kerala vote: CPI(M)’s Jayarajan held talks to join, backtracked under threat from his party

Addressing the media in Alappuzha, where she is the BJP candidate, Sobha said, “Jayarajan had contacted me through the mobile number of his son.  His son had messaged me “note my number.”  “Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan knows the reasons why Jayarajan had withdrawn from the decision. I haven’t so far revealed Jayarajan’s name because I wanted to see him alive. He had gone back from the decision fearing attack from the CPI(M),” Sobha alleged.

Sobha claimed that the discussions with Jayarajan were held in Delhi. “Middleman T G Nandakumar (whose name had figured in several issues) had given me the flight ticket. The party has authorised me to hold discussions with members of other parties who express a desire to join the BJP,” she said.

“I had a meeting with Jayarajan’s son in Kochi. On 23 April, 2023, Nandakumar had taken the flight ticket for me and shared it with me on Whatsapp. ” she claimed.

A few days back, Sobha had revealed that a senior CPI(M) leader had planned to join the BJP. Nandakumar joined the issue saying that Jayarajan had discussion with BJP’s Kerala in charge Prakash Javadekar. “BJP wanted to win the Lok Sabha election from Kerala with the support of the Left. Javadekar had promised to settle the SNC Lavalin case . But, Jayarajan was not ready for that deal,’” he said.

The revelation, which was denied by Jayarajan, has embarrassed the CPI(M), which has targeted Congress during the electioneering over “soft Hindutva’” and exodus of its leaders to the BJP.  Jayarajan told the media in Kannur that “everything is an utter lie. No such incident had happened”.

CPI(M) leadership has not responded to the matter so far.