Success in Karnataka rekindles Kerala BJP

State BJP celebrates party’s first Govt in south

Pioneer News Service | Thiruvananthapuram

The State BJP is in a joyous mood following the swearing in of BJP leader Yeddyurappa as the Chief Minister of Karnataka thus making it the first south Indian State to have a Government headed by the party.

The BJP State Unit has called a victory day on Monday following his swearing in ceremony and is celebrating it by distributing sweets and rejoicing. The BJP in Kerala is not a power to reckon with at present. But, some 10 to 15 years back Karnataka was also in a similar position and brilliant political moves have helped the party to attain the throne and the State unit hopes that Kerala will also witness a BJP Government in the near future.

The BJP, which has almost broken the shackle of the LDF and the UDF with the victory of PC Thomas from the Muvattupuzha Lok Sabha constituency as an NDA candidate, was out of the reckoning once it lost power in Delhi.

Interestingly several groups and social organisations, which had kept the BJP as a taboo was willing to have alliances with it and there was a long queue of former bureaucrats willing to join the party (some had even joined).

Even noted film and cultural personalities were willing to join the BJP. At least the party was showing signs of breaking the untouchability practiced by the rival political parties.

The churning of political fortunes and the new confederation of Kerala Congress groups could be seen as a welcome move for the party as a united Kerala Congress is a major force to reckon with in the State.

The Christian clergy have also shunned the earlier misconceptions with the BJP when it was in power and if there is a possibility of the party coming back to power at the Centre more alliances could be developed.

The victory of PC Thomas against all odds is seen as a major achievement for the BJP and the NDA. However, the party could not capitalise the victory as its own as Thomas left the NDA and made alliance with the Kerala Congress (Joseph), which is a coalition partner in the LDF.

The BJP, while in power, had also made several overtones to social organisations like the SNDP Yogam and NSS. While Velapally Natesan was more than willing to have certain arrangements with the party in the State, the failure of front line party leaders to take him into confidence resulted in the deal not growing in stature. The NSS as usual was watching the developments from the fence. However, party leaders and common friends who had tried to broker these deals were optimistic of the outcome as other organisations and leaderships wanted to have a clear knowledge of the strength of the BJP on its own in the State.

Political analysts are of the opinion that the BJP could develop its own grass root strengths. Only then the party can go for alliances and with several issues hurting the sentiments of Hindu community coming up a proper presentation of its case could help the BJP to set a foothold in the strong bipolar political sphere of the State.