Former Congress leader AP Abdullakutty, who was sacked from Congress for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. The Kerala leader, Abdullakutty, joined BJP in the presence of working party president JP Nadda.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) had expelled Abdullakutty earlier this month for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Facebook. "The BJP's landslide victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections is the affirmation of the people's faith in Modi's vision and policies," read the social media post that got him into trouble.

Abdullakutty was also suspended from CPI (M) in 2009 for praising Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat. He had later joined Congress and was elected to the Kerala Assembly in 2011.

Who is AP Abdullakutty?

AP Abdullakutty is a former two-time CPI(M) MP and former two-time Congress MLA. The politician has been shown outside door by both the parties — CPI(M) and Congress — for praising PM Modi.

Abdullakutty first praised Modi in 2009 during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister following which he was ousted from the party. Abdullakutty was MP from Kerala's Kannur and later joined the Congress party.

In 2014, Abdullakutty made a controversial statement when he alleged Pinarayi Vijayan saying he directed party workers in the state to eliminate political enemies by following 'Bengal's line'.

Abdullakutty wrote this in Congress party mouthpiece Veekshanam. Being asked on his remarks on Vijayan asking party workers to kill political enemies, Abdullakutty said that he stood by his words.

Ousted from Congress for praising PM Modi

Abdullakutty raked controversy after Lok Sabha 2019 results when he praised PM Modi in a Facebook post after BJP-led NDA won elections with a thumping majority.

Praising PM Modi, Abdullakutty said that Modi won because he adopted Gandhian values, further stating that it was a victory of the acceptance of the development agenda by the people of this country.

Abdullakutty lauded PM's Swachh Bharat mission, one of Modi's flagship schemes. He also praised the Ujjwala Yojana through which Modi government provided LPG cylinders to millions of women belonging to of BPL families.

In a Facebook post, titled "On Narendra Modi's impressive victory", Abdullakutty said not only the opposition but even those inside the BJP have been taken by surprise at the saffron party's massive victory.

The Centre's flagship SBA project helped 9.16 crore families get their own toilets and the Ujjwala scheme enabled 6 crore BPL families get free LPG connections, he said.

"Once, we cross Kerala border, what we see is independent India's most pathetic sight-- open defecation by the poor of the country. Modi, to a certain extent, gave justice to them.

Speaking on Abdullakutty's post, Kerala Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran said he will be asked to give an explanation saying that such acts of praising PM Modi by any leader of the party will not be tolerated.

Ousted from CPI(M) for praising PM Modi

Not only from Congress but from CPI-M also, Abdullakutty was asked to leave the party after he had praised Narendra Modi when he was serving as Gujarat Chief Minister. Abdullakutty had praised Gujarat development model in 2009, following which he was ousted from the party. Abdullakutty was CPI(M) MP from Kannur.

The action against the two-time Lok Sabha MP was taken by CPI-M's Kannur district committee which accused him of repeated breach of discipline by joining the "class enemies", party sources said.

(With inputs from ANI)