BJP has no elbow room sans NSS, SNDP

Thiruvananthapuram: A section of top state BJP leaders believes the party can manage to win a couple of seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections provided it could rope in community organisations like SNDP Yogam and NSS and the Catholics. They also know it's a tall order and hard put to convince national president, Amit Shah, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  Just by inducting Alphons Kannanthanam in the council of ministers and nominating Suresh Gopi to Rajya Sabha, it will not be able to influence the electorate. State BJP had formed more than 75 percent of the booth committees in earnest immediately after the last Assembly elections much ahead of the CPM and the Congress. 

A full-time prabhari (in-charge) and a convener have been appointed for all the 20 LS constituencies divided into four clusters.  Union minister for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan, Nalin Kumar Kateel MP representing Dakshina Kannada and former state presidents P. K. Krishnadas and V. Muraleedharan are heading these clusters.  But after leaders embroiled in the medical college scam, their preparation for LS elections slowed down. A former president recalled that the Congress won the elections in 1960 under R. Sankar's leadership when SNDP Yogam had kept a distance from political parties.

“In the earlier days right from Angamaly to Kanyakumari border, the NSS and Catholic movements had decided to work together during elections. Kerala’s political milieu will see a remarkable change if SNDP Yogam, NSS and Catholics join hands. If the BJP leadership come forward to bring the three together under one umbrella, lotuses will bloom here,” he told DC. Another ex-president expressed hope that if the three decide to stick together, then they have chances to win Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur and Palakkad. He anticipates a community polarisation and a tough triangular battle here. 

Currently, the NSS is keeping mum as they have always reaped benefits during the LDF rule. At the same time, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ensured that he does not ruffle feathers of community leaders like G. Sukumaran Nair and Vellapally Natesan.  But he has warned Sivagiri Mutt authorities in a veiled manner to keep Mr Natesan away. 

Another top BJP leader told DC that though the central leadership has been brandishing Mr Kannanthanam and Mr Gopi as party’s ambassadors with the aim of appeasing the Christian and Hindu communities, it is not going to help. “Mr Gopi has been confiding to certain state leaders that he is unhappy for not getting due consideration. He has lost a foothold in the tinsel world, and there’s lack of recognition within the party circles,” he said.