BJP’s show of strength at Keezhattur

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Karshaka Raksha March from Keezhattur to Kannur, on Tuesday, turned out to be its show of strength in the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s pocket borough.

BJP workers turned out in large numbers to join the march organised in solidarity with Vayalakilikal, a collective of local activists, spearheading an agitation against a proposed National Highway bypass.

The foot march from Keezhattur to Kannur via Taliparamba was inaugurated by BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha in the morning.

Krishnadas leads march

The march was led by party national executive member P.K. Krishnadas.

Mr. Sinha, who is from West Bengal, said if the agitation of farmers in Nandigram in West Bengal had brought the downfall of the CPI(M) in that State, the farmers’ stir at Keezhattur to protect their paddy fields would eliminate the CPI(M) in Kerala.

He thanked the Vayalkilikal activists, who were CPI(M) workers and sympathisers, for defying the CPI(M)’s stance that would destroy their paddy fields.

“Your agitation will have the strength to overthrow the CPI(M) and Chief Minister Pinarayi Viajayan in the next Assembly election,” Mr. Sinha said in his inaugural address.

“In the next general election election, we will be able to defeat the CPI(M).”

Keezhattur agitation leaders Suresh Keezhattur and Nambradath Janaki shared the platform with BJP leaders at the inaugural function.

BJP leaders C.K. Padmanabhan, A.N. Radhakrishnan, V. Gopalakrishnan, K. Ranjith, and P. Sathyaprash were among those present at the function.

Political objectives

Though the BJP had lent support to the agitation by the local residents against the proposed National Highway bypass, which, they feared would destroy the paddy fields in the village, the launch of the march was seen as the BJP’s efforts to set foot in the CPI(M) stronghold.

The party district leadership mobilised its workers to ensure a large turnout at the inaugural function.