Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 18 (IANS): In a surprise move, the Kerala state unit of the BJP appears to have managed a prized catch, with its state president K.Surendran on Thursday announcing that Metroman E. Sreedharan will be joining the BJP.

"Metroman has informed that he will be joining the BJP by taking the party membership when the state-wide yatra (led by Surendran) reaches Malappurram district (the home district of Sreedharan)," said Surendran.

Surendran's state-wide yatra begins next week from Kasargode.

The 88-year-old hugely popular engineer known for his widespread contribution in the fields of building iconic infrastructure projects, is yet to make his statement on the announcement of Surendran, but has said he will soon say.

"It's our desire that Metroman contests the upcoming assembly polls and we have proposed it to him," added Surendran.

Sreedharan is presently leading a retired life at his home.

He was the livewire behind not just the Kochi Metro, Kerala's first metro project, which has become a hugely popular form of transport, but also the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation or DMRC.