The BJP in Kerala sprang a surprise on Thursday by announcing that legendary E Sreedharan, popularly known as India’s Metro Man, has joined the party.

“E Sreedharan, India’s pride has joined the BJP. He will become a member of the party on February 21 at Kasaragod from where the party is launching its Vijaya Yatra. Sreedharan will be enrolled as a member of the party by Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh,” said K Surendran, president of the BJP’s Kerala president.

He was speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Metro Man on Thursday at the latter’s Ponnani residency.

Surendran said that the BJP wanted Sreedharan to contest the upcoming Assembly election from a constituency of his choice. “We will certainly ask him to contest the election and are hopeful that he would accede to our plea,” said Surendran.

Incidentally, Dr Jacob Thomas, the former Director General of Kerala Police, who staged a war against corruption, had joined the BJP last month during the party’s all India president JP Nadda’s visit to Kerala. Cinema artist Krishnakumar was another entrant into the party during Nadda’s visit.

Speaking to reporters who thronged his residence on hearing about his joining the BJP, Sreedharan said it was the culmination of a thought which has been churning in his mind for nearly a decade. “The BJP should come to power in Kerala for the comprehensive development of the State,” said Sreedharan (89), who is still active in his profession.

He was in charge of the reconstruction of the Palarivattam Bridge built by the previous UDF Government, which got damaged within one year of its inauguration.

“Sreedharan Sir has completed the entire reconstruction and the bridge would be handed over to the Kerala Government before the second week of March 2021,” said Narayanan, the Metro Man’s close aide for more than a decade.

According to Narayanan, Sreedharan’s decision to join the BJP could be at the instance of the party’s Central leadership. “I understand the BJP’s Kerala leaders had called on him a couple of times requesting him to join the party. But he remained non-committal,” Narayanan told The Pioneer.

There are reports that Prof TJ Joseph, whose hand was chopped off by the Popular Front of India activists, too would join the BJP. There is a strong demand from the BJP unit at Perumbavoor to field Prof Joseph as the party candidate in the upcoming election.