88-year-old Kerala woman who staged 'begging' protest joins BJP

Thiruvananthapuram: An elderly woman in Kerala who caused embarrassment to the CPIM government by 'begging' on the streets in protest for social welfare pension has now joined the BJP.

Mariyakutty, 88, hailing from Adimaly in Idukki district of Kerala took membership from BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar at a function in Idukki on Friday.

The move comes after Kerala Congress workers constructed a house for her.

It was in 2023 that Mariyakutty and her friend Annamma went around Adimaly town 'begging' to mark her protest against the social welfare pension of Rs, 1,600 per month.

The CPIM had even launched a campaign against her then. The Congress subsequently backed her and also constructed a house for her.

Meanwhile, a former Youth Congress leader and former leader of CPM's student outfit SFI joined the BJP this week. Youth Congress former state secretary Shine Lal and SFI former state vice president Gokul Gopinath took BJP membership.