Despite its growth in other parts of India, the BJP has failed to get a strong foothold in any southern State barring Karnataka. Luck has been particularly elusive for the BJP in Kerala. For nearly two decades, the national party leadership has been struggling, without success, to elbow its way through the multi-layered bipolar polity led by two main parties in Kerala — the Congress and the CPI(M). With less than two years left for the next general election, the BJP’s central leadership has evolved various strategies to win Parliament seats from the southern-most State.
Earlier this month, to fine-tune its organisational apparatus, the BJP shuffled 15 leaders in charge of the party in various States. C.P. Radhakrishnan, a former Lok Sabha MP, who was in charge of Kerala, was replaced by former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar. In its national executive meeting in Hyderabad, the party spoke of going beyond its Hindu support base. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke of wooing Muslims and Christians, which were perceived as plans for the south. Union Ministers have been given charge of six constituencies in Kerala to evaluate the party’s prospects and challenges.
In July, the party nominated celebrated athlete P.T. Usha from Kerala to the Rajya Sabha. Six years ago, the party had nominated actor Suresh Gopi to the Upper House, hoping to piggyback on his popularity. Though he could only finish third in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2021 Assembly polls in Thrissur, Mr. Gopi found favour with the voters, securing 30% of the votes.
