Tough to defeat Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram: BJP leader Rajagopal

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 8 (PTI) Veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal on Monday lavished praise on MP Shashi Tharoor, saying it would be difficult to defeat the Congress leader from the state capital.

Rajagopal, the former union minister who was defeated by Tharoor in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Kerala state capital, said the Congress MP has been able to sway the minds of the people, which was the reason for his repeated wins from here.

"That is why he is able to win again and again from Thiruvananthapuram. I doubt that anyone else will get an opportunity to win (from Thiruvananthapuram) in the near future," he said while speaking at the N Ramachandran Foundation award ceremony.

Rajagopal, the first ever BJP MLA from the state after his win in the 2016 assembly polls, also expressed pride that such a person -- Tharoor -- hails from Palakkad.

The veteran BJP leader himself also hails from Palakkad.

His statement comes at a time when the BJP is trying to win a few key seats, including Thiruvananthapuram, from the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Following the lavish praise, as the veteran BJP leader left the podium, Tharoor went to him, touched his feet and hugged him. PTI