Key Sonia aide Tom Vadakkan joins BJP

New Delhi: In a major surprise, Congress leader Tom Vadakkan, also a close aide of Sonia Gandhi, on Thursday joined the BJP, and attacked his former party’s stand on the Pulwama terror attack and India’s retaliatory strikes.

Vadakkan said he was “hurt” at the situation within the Congress where it was not clear that who was the power centre.

Vadakkan, a regular face on TV debates, joined the saffron party in the presence of the senior leader and Law Minister Ravishankar Prasad and immediately attacked the Congress for its stand on the Pulwama attack and the subsequent IAF airstrike in Pakistan

He also said the Congress’ reaction to attacks carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists was sad, while asserting that he believed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development narrative.

A Christian, Vadakkan may likely contest from Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, which he had been demanding from Congress for the past couple of times. BJP is likely to project his joining as a vote of confidence of the minority community in Kerala.