Sobha Surendran Explained

Sobha Surendran
Birth Place:Thrissur, Kerala, India
Nationality:Indian
Party:Bharatiya Janata Party
Office1:Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Kerala
Residence:Thrissur, Kerala
Alma Mater:University of Calicut
Spouse:K. K. Surendran
Children:2

Sobha Surendran (born 1969) is an Indian politician from the state of Kerala, allied to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sobha is the first woman politician from Kerala BJP to hold a position at the national level.[1] She has acted as the state president of BJP Mahila Morcha. She also serves on the board of directors of the Chennai Petroleum Corporation.[2] [3] [4]

Personal life

Sobha was born in the Wadakkancherry, Thrissur district, Kerala.[5] [6] Sobha is married to K. K. Surendran, a Bharatiya Janata Party politician also from Wadakkanchery.[7]

Political career

Sobha was the state president of the Mahila Morcha.[8] She was a member of the party's core committee and was the state general secretary of the party.[9] She was later moved from state general secretary to vice-president.[10]

Elections

In 2016, there was a close contest and she came second with 40,087 votes.[11] Sobha, as the party's state general secretary, was then contesting both legislative assembly and general elections on a BJP ticket.

Over the years her election results have been improving the party vote share.[12]

In 2019, Sobha contested the Attingal constituency and came third against Adoor Prakash of the Indian National Congress. In 2014 BJP got 92,000 votes and in 2019 BJP got 248,000 votes in Attingal.[13] [14]

In 2021, for the Assembly election, Sobha Surendran contested the Kazhakkoottam constituency in the Thiruvananthapuram district and lost to Kadakampally Surendran CPI(M) candidate.

In 2024 general election, she contested from Alappuzha constituency and lost. She managed to make Alappuzha an "A-class" constituency for the BJP, increasing the vote share by 11%. She even managed to finish a very close second (less than 2K votes) in 2 assembly segments of the constituency.[15] [16]

Election candidature history
ElectionYearConstituencyOpponentResultMargin
2019Attingal
2024Alappuzha
Kerala Legislative Assembly2016Palakkad [17]
2021KazhakootamKadakampally Surendran[18]

Controversies

After being appointed state vice-president Sobha Surendran was reluctant to take up the post, which triggered a controversy within the Party.[19] [20] [21] [22]

Her statement about welcoming the Indian Union Muslim League into the NDA, in an interview, had caused confusion in the BJP. The BJP state president K. Surendran (politician) refuted her statement.[23] [24] [25]

In 2018, during the BJP's protest march against the arrest of K. Surendran in Kannur, Sobha made provocative comments against the police and threatened SP Yathish Chandra.[26] She was arrested by the Kerala Police.[27]

Protests and struggles

Sobha Surendran was one of the key figures arrested by police in the Sabarimala protests.[28] [29] [30] She fasted for 48 hours in support of the agitation by PSC job seekers in the PSC rank lists in the Secretariat.[31] [32] Subsequently, Sobha met with the Kerala Governor and received assurances that he would act in favor of the job aspirants.[33] [34] [35]

In November 2020, Sobha alleged that the party president, K. Surendran, had organised a political conspiracy against her, both personally and politically, to end her political career.[36] She wrote a complaint letter to BJP national president JP Nadda and union home minister Amit Shah.[37]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BJP the first woman politician from Kerala BJP . malayalam.samayam.com.
  2. Web site: Chennai Petroleum Corporation Management Information - Details of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Management - The Economic Times. economictimes.indiatimes.com.
  3. News: BJP's power couple - The Hindu. The Hindu. 28 April 2016. Naha. Abdul Latheef.
  4. Web site: Kerala elections 2021: BJP's Sobha Surendran puts state leadership in the dock over denial of ticket- The New Indian Express.
  5. Web site: Choice of BJP candidates upsets many supporters in Kerala. 28 April 2016.
  6. Web site: Biodata of Shobha%20Surendran. keralaassembly.org. 10 March 2019.
  7. Web site: Husband-wife Duo to Try Luck in Kerala Polls- The New Indian Express.
  8. Web site: Absence of woman leader at the helm leaves BJP worried. The New Indian Express.
  9. News: BJP's power couple. Abdul Latheef. Naha. The Hindu. 28 April 2016. www.thehindu.com.
  10. Web site: Sobha Surendran's outburst exposes chinks in Kerala BJP. The New Indian Express.
  11. Web site: Palakkad Assembly Election 2016 Latest News & Results. India.com. en-EN. 2020-01-14.
  12. Web site: Left sitting pretty in its Attingal bastion. Cynthia. Chandran. 12 April 2019. Deccan Chronicle.
  13. Web site: Attingal Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 Live: Attingal Constituency Election Results, News, Candidates, Vote Paercentage. News18. 2020-01-14.
  14. News: Lok Sabha: India general election results 2019. 2019-05-22. 2020-01-14. en-GB.
  15. https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha/ls-poll-bjp-fields-a-mix-of-high-profile-veterans-and-new-faces-in-12-seats-in-state/article67907780.ece
  16. https://keralakaumudi.com/en/news/news.php?id=1319319&u=shobha-surendran-stuns-cpm-strongholds-with-record-votes
  17. Web site: Kerala Assembly Election - 2016 . Elections.in . 2021-05-20.
  18. Web site: Kerala Assembly Election - 2021 . Elections.in . 2021-06-16.
  19. News: Sobha Surendran falls in line, attends BJP meet. S.. Anandan. The Hindu. 4 February 2021. www.thehindu.com.
  20. Web site: Kerala BJP leader Sobha Surendran alleges bid in state unit to humiliate her. 2 November 2020.
  21. Web site: Attempt at disciplinary action against Sobha Surendran foiled. The New Indian Express.
  22. News: Sobha's outburst brings unusual camaraderie in BJP | Thiruvananthapuram News - Times of India. The Times of India. 2 November 2020 .
  23. Web site: Sobha invites IUML to NDA fold, leaves K Surendran in a spot. The New Indian Express.
  24. News: Kerala: BJP leaders blow hot and cold on IUML ties | Kochi News - Times of India. The Times of India. 28 February 2021 .
  25. News: BJP list earns Sobha Surendran's sarcasm | Thiruvananthapuram News - Times of India. The Times of India. 15 March 2021 .
  26. Web site: Shobha Surendran booked for provocative statements against Kerala cops. 2021-03-18. www.onmanorama.com.
  27. Web site: 2018-11-29. BJP leader Sobha Surendran booked for threatening remarks against Kerala police. 2021-03-18. The News Minute. en.
  28. Web site: Sabarimala issue: Fasting BJP leader Shobha Surendran arrested, shifted to hospital. The New Indian Express.
  29. Web site: Sabarimala strike: BJP leader Sobha takes over fast as CK Padmanabhan is hospitalised. 20 December 2018. The News Minute.
  30. Web site: Sabarimala row: BJP leader on hunger strike arrested, shifted to hospital. ANI News.
  31. Web site: Sobha's presence in PSC job aspirants' stir lands BJP in a fix. The New Indian Express.
  32. Web site: Sobha Surendran stages sit-in protest to support PSC rank holders' issue. Mathrubhumi.
  33. Web site: Sobha Surendran arranges talks between Guv, PSC agitators. The New Indian Express.
  34. Web site: Governor's intervention in PSC job seekers' stir a turning point: Sobha Surendran. The New Indian Express.
  35. Web site: Sobha-surendran-about-meeting-governor-over. Sajitha. Gopie. 20 February 2021. malayalam.oneindia.com.
  36. Web site: K Surendran conspired against me, says Sobha. 2021-03-18. The New Indian Express.
  37. Web site: Sobha Surendran accuses K Surendran of trying to end her political career. 2021-03-18. Mathrubhumi. en.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sobha Surendran".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.