BJP state chief K Surendran told the media: "I have not seen Rajagopal's press conference, nor do I know what he has said. I will speak to him and let you know."

 

Asked of two opinions within the BJP existed over the farm laws, he retorted: "What are you saying? there are no two opinions on the farm Acts among Kerala BJP leaders."

 

BJP state General Secretary MT Ramesh told the media in Alappuzha: "Rajagopal is a senior leader and I did not think that he will support the resolution. He had earlier come out against the state government for bringing in a resolution against the farm Acts. I don't know what happened. Let me check and revert back."

 

While both senior leaders were guarded in their response, highly placed party sources told IANS that the party is "totally surprised".

 

A senior leader said: "The party is literally in a shock. We don't know what to do in this situation. The BJP will take a decision on this development."

 

Rajagopal was Minister of State in Railways, Defence and Parliamentary Affairs in the Vajpayee government at the Centre. He is the first BJP leader to enter the Kerala Assembly.

 

Rajagopal had earlier courted a controversy during voting of Speaker's post by supporting Left nominee Sreeramakrishnan. He had then said that he had supported the Speaker because his name had Lord Rama and Lord Sreekrishna in it.

 

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat is currently in Thiruvananthapuram to attend a Sangh meeting. The position taken by the veteran BJP leader in the Assembly will be deliberated upon in the highest echelons of the BJP and the RSS, the sources said.