Former Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) MLA S. Rajendran officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala on Sunday, January 18, 2026. The move concluded weeks of speculation regarding the political future of the three-time legislator from the Devikulam Assembly constituency in Idukki district. Rajendran accepted party membership from BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the party's state headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Rajendran, who represented Devikulam from 2006 to 2021, had a strained relationship with the CPI(M) for several years. He was suspended from the party for a year in January 2022, following allegations of working against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate, A. Raja, during the 2021 Assembly elections. This suspension deepened the rift, and he subsequently did not renew his CPI(M) membership, even campaigning for BJP candidates in local body elections. Upon joining the BJP, Rajendran clarified that his decision was not driven by personal ambitions or a desire to contest elections, specifically reiterating that he would not seek candidacy from Devikulam. Instead, he emphasized that his primary motivation was to address the broader development interests and long-standing issues faced by the people, particularly in the plantation sector of Idukki district. He also expressed being impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance and believed that solutions for plantation workers could be found under BJP governance. Alongside Rajendran, other local leaders, including CPI leader Gurunathan and CPI(M) activist Santhosh, also joined the BJP. The BJP leadership has indicated plans for a larger membership campaign led by Rajendran in Munnar on February 8, where hundreds more are expected to join the saffron party.